PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE BONDS TO UPDATE, EXPAND LOCAL EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
QUESTION: Shall PCC expand, modernize, construct facilities for additional students, programs; upgrade technology; issue $374,000,000 in general obligation bonds; audit spending?
If the bonds are approved, they will be payable from taxes on property or property ownership that are not subject to the limits of sections 11 and 11b, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution.
SUMMARY: If approved, measure would provide funds for additional classrooms and modernizing equipment at all Portland Community College Campuses to expand and add programs, and accommodate more students. Increase access in Newberg, Sherwood.
Measure would:
- Construct, equip, furnish new buildings for additional classrooms, other college uses at all four campuses, at Washington County Workforce Training Center, and in Newberg;
- Renovate, update existing college facilities needing heating, ventilation, plumbing, lighting, roofing;
- Replace out-of-date equipment, facilities for workforce training;
- Expand and increase efficiency of classroom, library, student support services space in existing buildings at PCC campuses and in Sherwood;
- Upgrade technology including distance learning capabilities;
- Make health, life safety, accessibility upgrades including fire alarms, security systems, electrical wiring;
- Increase facilities' energy efficiency;
- Expand students' childcare facilities;
- Acquire some land, site improvements, buildings for college services;
- Pay associated bond issuance costs.
PCC will conduct, issue annual audits to ensure funds used as intended;
Bond cost estimated at 32.9 cents per $1,000 of assessed value over 21 years or less.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Portland Community College currently serves over one million residents in five counties, covering 13 public school districts. Two-thirds of residents of the PCC District have someone in their household who has taken one or more courses at PCC.
PCC offers college, and life-long learning opportunities, to people from a wide range of ages and backgrounds. It is the largest provider of vocational training in the area.
However, PCC has more students applying for programs than can fit into current facilities. Programs like nursing and other health care training, as well as welding, computer education and more, are turning students away due to lack of space to accommodate them. There is high demand for even more vocational training programs that PCC cannot offer without additional space.
Further, equipment on which students are trained is out of date and not up to the standards that industry and local employers need. Modernizing existing classrooms and buildings ensures programming and curriculum meet current and future student needs.
Therefore, PCC is asking voters to consider general obligation bonds to update and renovate existing facilities, upgrade technology, and construct additional classroom space. Projects will take place at all PCC campuses and facilities including Rock Creek, Sylvania , and Cascade campuses, Southeast Center in Portland , and the Western Washington County Workforce Training Center .
In addition, the bond would allow PCC to create college facilities in Newberg and in Sherwood.
Specifically, the bond measure would fund:
- Construction of new buildings for additional classrooms and college support services, including up-to-date instructional equipment;
- Renovation of existing PCC classrooms and facilities in need of more efficient heating and ventilation, updated plumbing, more adequate lighting, and improved roofing;
- Replacement of out-of-date equipment and facilities for workforce training to meet local employers' needs;
- Expansion of health care training to Washington County ;
- Expanding educational opportunities at Southeast Center with additional science labs, career-technical training facilities, library and improved student services area for counseling and advising;
- Expansion and updating of instructional and student support services space in existing PCC buildings, including two libraries;
- Upgrading technology including record-keeping, access for students to internet and computer resources, and increasing distance learning capabilities so students who work or have difficulty commuting to campus can take courses on-line;
- Making health and life safety updates at college buildings including fire alarms, security systems, and electrical wiring;
- Constructing a facility in Newberg and renovating space in Sherwood for PCC classes;
- Improving accessibility to PCC buildings;
- Increasing facilities' energy efficiency;
- Expanding students' childcare facilities;
- Acquiring some land, site improvements, buildings for these expansions of college services.
The Ballot Measure requires Portland Community College to conduct and issue annual audits to ensure bond funds are used as intended.
The bond cost is estimated at 32.9 cents per $1,000 assessed value over the life of the bonds which is 21 years or less. The owner of a home assessed at $200,000 is estimated to pay additional $66/ year.
Submitted by:
Preston Pulliams
District President
Portland Community College
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Yes for Portland Community College
Opening Doors for More Students and a Better Economy
Serving over one million residents in five counties, Portland Community College campuses and centers plays a central role in our communities' future, providing education, vocational training and lifelong learning opportunities. PCC helps build the well-trained workforce our local economy needs to create good jobs.
But the demand is greater than the college can meet because of lack of space.
- Approximately 800 people apply annually to PCC's nursing program. There's only space for 100.
- Local employers need more welders and trained workers than the college can train, due to lack of classroom space and outdated equipment.
- More people want access to PCC – 18% enrollment growth in the last 9 years.
We need to meet these challenges today – especially given our tough economic times.
The PCC Bond Measure will:
- Add classroom space to every campus, expanding capacity for vocational programs including welding, nursing, allied health sciences, early childhood education, first responder training and more;
- Add and upgrade classrooms to provide new career training programs including physical therapy assisting and renewable energy technology;
- Update training equipment in classrooms to prepare students for the workplace;
- Expand the job search program and training for dislocated workers, increase classes for high school students to help them prepare for the future and upgrade and expand facilities for K-12 teacher and Head Start Program training.
- Increase distance learning opportunities for those who cannot always make it to campus in person.
Accountable to taxpayers:
- The PCC bond is the best value on the ballot: less than $8/month for the average homeowner;
- Funds from the bond measure will be audited annually to ensure they are used appropriately, efficiently, and as voters intend.
Go to www.voteyespcc.com to see exactly how each campus and PCC center will benefit from the bond.
(This information furnished by Shannon Mills)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
PCC Bond will help train more local nurses
and other needed healthcare workers
I'm a graduate of the Portland Community College Nursing School, and now I work as a registered nurse at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital. I went to PCC for retraining as a nurse after the job I had held for two decades at a printing press was replaced by a machine.
I was fortunate to be picked for PCC's nursing program. Every year, PCC has to turn away hundreds of qualified people who want to become nurses because it simply doesn't have the space to train them. The year I applied, there were 918 applicants and I was one of only 90 chosen by lottery.
I support the PCC Bond Measure because it will allow more students to train to become nurses.
The PCC Bond will fund the addition of a Health Professions building at the Rock Creek Campus, which will be the first nursing program located in Washington County and will allow PCC to accept twice as many qualified applicants to its nursing program.
The Bond will also expand space for allied health programs like occupational therapy assistant and physical therapy assistant.
Our community already has a nursing shortage that is affecting care for the sick and elderly, and demand for nurses is growing as our population ages. Now is the time to invest in PCC so it can train the nurses we need.
Please Vote Yes for the PCC Bond Measure.
Richard Lucero
PCC Nursing School Class of 2007
(This information furnished by Richard Lucero)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Support Our Economy by Supporting Portland Community College
Vote YES on PCC's Bond Measure
I am a local manufacturer with 50 employees, including over a dozen that I've hired from Portland Community College, where they received their training.
The central component of our business is welding, which is a highly-specialized skill taught at PCC. I need to hire more well-trained welders who are ready to work, and so do other local employers.
However, because of a lack of space, Portland Community College has to turn away many people who want training for careers in welding.
They are simply out of room. And that means businesses like mine could be out of workers.
That's why I support the PCC Bond Measure.
One thing the PCC Bond Measure does is allow for expansion of the welding program, by creating more classroom and welding station space at Rock Creek Campus and Southeast Center .
The Bond Measure will also update equipment on which welding students are trained so they can begin their jobs ready to work on equipment that meets the industry standard.
I completed high school at PCC many years ago and then earned an associate degree in PCC's mechanical engineering program. PCC opened a lot of doors for me and was key to my success. I saw firsthand how well they provide training, and that's why I try to employ workers out of PCC.
PCC can be the key to others' success as well, especially if the campuses have enough room to train the numbers of welders needed to meet the local demand.
The PCC Bond Measure is a great value – for less than $8/month for the typical property owner, we can support this vital element of our local economy - specialized worker training.
I can't think of a better way to support our community's future.
Thank you,
Jeff Van Raden, Columbia Industries
(This information furnished by Jeff Van Raden, Columbia Industries)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
PCC opened the door to my future. Now, it needs our help.
Like thousands of high school students, I got my diploma through Portland Community College . In fact, PCC is the biggest high school in the state of Oregon .
I started at a local high school, but I wasn't satisfied with my experience there. I wanted more academically challenging courses, and I wanted to be in classes with older students focused on a career. I found both at PCC. Now, I'm continuing at PCC, taking the prerequisite classes I need to enter the paramedic program.
More and more students like me are turning to PCC to finish high school and get a head start on college. However, with an 18% increase in enrollment over the past 9 years, PCC is just out of room.
For example, programs like Gateway to College, which keeps at-risk high school students in school, and the Adult High School Diploma Program, which gives people a second chance to earn a high school diploma, don't have enough space to serve all the students who want to take courses to finish high school.
I support the PCC Bond Measure because it will fund more classroom space at PCC's campuses and centers so that more high school students can take advantage of the opportunities to finish high school, get vocational training, and earn college credit.
Join me in voting Yes for PCC!
Christina Lee
PCC Student
(This information furnished by Christina Lee)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
A Message from PCC Faculty Members
We need your help to provide a better future.
As faculty members at Portland Community College , we work hard to provide the best training and education possible to our students. They come from every walk of life, including high schoolers, university transfer students, students seeking vocational training, and out-of-work students retraining for a new career.
Now we need your help to continue doing our jobs well. We're out of space and our facilities and equipment need to be updated. Just some examples:
- Our nursing program can only accept 100 out of about 800 applicants each year because of lack of space;
- We must turn away aspiring teachers seeking training because our early childhood education facilities are too small;
- There aren't enough welding stations to accommodate the number of students who want training;
- Equipment in many programs is outdated compared to the workplace;
- We have no science labs in Southeast Portland . Students have to use the labs at a nearby high school at night, which aren't equipped for college-level courses;
- Our dental program needs a larger clinic to give more students hands-on experience with real patients.
The PCC Bond will provide funds for more general-purpose classrooms and specialized classrooms for vocational training. We'll get updated equipment, important health and safety repairs, and more space for childcare for our students. These improvements will allow us to expand programs and accept more students.
We understand that these are challenging economic times. But this is when more local residents turn to PCC for help with job placement, retraining, and opportunities for employment.
The PCC Bond Measure, at less that $8 per month for the typical homeowner, can help more people succeed and help our economy navigate through tough times.
Please Vote Yes for Portland Community College !
Teri Mills, Nursing
Sanda Williams, Electronic Engineering Technology
Christyn Dundorf, Early Childhood Education
Michael Dembrow, English
(This information furnished by Christyn Dundorf)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
PCC helped me get retrained for a new career.
Please support the PCC bond so more people get the same chance.
I worked in the semiconductor industry for 20 years. A few years ago, the company changed, my position disappeared and I was laid off. I turned to Portland Community College for help.
Like many who need additional training and education, I went back to PCC to finish my degree.
PCC really cared about my success in getting retrained. My instructors were impressive – really top-quality engineers who work in, and understand, the industry. I received ample attention and hands-on help.
After graduating I got a job at Intel as an Engineering Technician. Now, I try to give back by also teaching part-time in the Microelectronics Technology program at PCC.
PCC helps people like me get and keep good local jobs because as technology continues to advance, PCC prepares you for those advances. If you have this kind of education, you probably won't be the one that the company lays off.
Now, we need to help out PCC. With the increase in enrollment and demand for training and classes, the campuses of PCC are running out of space. Students who want vocational training are being turned away from some programs due to lack of space.
And, some of the equipment on which PCC instructors train the students needs to be updated.
Please join me in voting yes for the PCC Bond Measure.
- The Bond will provide more classroom space at each campus and center.
- It will update training equipment.
- It will help our local economy by providing more local employers with well-trained workers.
And at less than $8 per month for the typical homeowner, it's the best value on the ballot.
Support good jobs and our local economy. Vote YES for Portland Community College !
Paul Wohr
Graduate of Microelectronics Technology program at PCC
(This information furnished by Paul Wohr)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Measure 26-95 Means Critical Health and Safety Upgrades
Tens of thousands of residents attend Portland Community College – maybe you're one of them, or your child, your parent, your neighbor or your co-worker.
PCC cares about its students, providing top-notch vocational training and lifelong education.
But PCC's buildings are aging and out-of-date. And they need health and safety renovations to protect the students, faculty, and the public's investment in this essential community asset.
The PCC Bond Measure on this November's ballot makes health and safety upgrades to all PCC facilities, including:
- Installation of a mass notification system to alert students and staff in emergency situations
- Upgrades to fire and intrusion alarm systems to enhance student and staff safety
- Renovation of parking lots and walkway lighting to enhance safety
- Electrical upgrades to maintain safety
- Boiler replacements to improve efficiency and maintain safety
- Storm water management to prevent runoff in creeks close to campuses
- Updating of water system to ensure uninterrupted service
- Repair and upgrade of solar panels to produce more energy at lower cost
- Plumbing upgrades to prevent leakage
- Enhancement of computer security systems to protect student and staff information
- Replacement and/or improvement of multiple building roofs
- Upgrades to make facilities safer and more accessible to students with disabilities
The PCC Bond - Measure #26-95 - is the best value on the ballot: for less than $8 a month for the typical homeowner, we can support PCC's buildings, students, faculty – and our community's future!
Vote YES for PCC.
(This information furnished by Shannon Mills)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Dear Voter:
When I graduated from a local high school in 2005, I didn't think I'd make it to college. I had good grades and I wanted to be an engineer, but I knew my family and I couldn't afford to pay for four years at a university.
Then, one of my mentors suggested I look into Portland Community College . I discovered that I could go to PCC for two years to save money on tuition, and then transfer to a university to finish my bachelor's degree.
Now, I'm studying electrical engineering at PCC and working part-time at an engineering firm in Portland . I'm getting a great education at PCC, and my teachers give me the help I need to balance my classes, job and responsibilities at home. I'm just a few classes away from my associate's degree, and I'm planning to transfer to Portland State University next year.
As a student, I see every day the effects of the shortage of classroom and lab space. Last fall, there were over 5,000 students on waiting lists who couldn't get into the classes they needed!
I'm supporting PCC's Bond Measure because it will fund new classrooms so PCC can offer more of the classes that are in high demand. That means fewer students on waiting lists, and more opportunities for students to get the credits we need to transfer to a university.
And that will make a tremendous difference in the lives of thousands of people and families throughout the five counties that PCC serves – people just like me.
Ricardo Garcia
PCC Student
(This information furnished by Ricardo Garcia)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
A message from the Halton Family, owners of Halton Co., a local employer:
The PCC Bond will help train more people for local jobs.
We own the Halton Co, your Caterpillar dealer for Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington , and we are proud to be a longtime partner of Portland Community College.
PCC is providing a skilled workforce for the jobs of today and the jobs of the future. Halton and PCC work closely with one another to equip Oregonians with the skills they need. One example is PCC's Diesel Service Technology program, from which we hire many technicians.
Halton and PCC have so much in common. We both build a stronger Oregon . Halton does it through powerful equipment and engines. PCC does it by growing and developing people. Halton products touch every member of the community, from the roads you drive on and the food you eat, to the roof over your head. PCC enables people to realize their dreams and careers.
The PCC bond measure on the November ballot will allow the college to expand and offer more partnerships with industry leaders, creating the kinds of well-paying jobs that allow Oregonians to raise families and buy homes: skilled jobs such as diesel technicians, nurses and teachers.
PCC's measure would:
- Help the college to train the workforce of today and of the future.
- Help the college to serve more students throughout the district.
- Help the college provide state-of the art training equipment so that students are prepared for the workplace.
PCC serves more students than all seven of the Oregon University System schools combined. By helping Oregonians achieve an affordable education, PCC contributes to everyone's quality of life. And through its wide array of partnerships with business and industry, PCC is an economic boon to the entire region.
I urge you to vote “Yes!” on PCC's ballot measure 26-95.
Halton Family
Owners, Halton Co.
(This information furnished by Sue Halton, Halton Co.)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Vote Yes for the PCC Bond Measure
The right investment. The right time.
What do we get by passing the PCC Bond Measure? More space. More programs. Updated facilities for students. A better future for all of us.
With expansion and updating at every campus and center, here's how Portland will benefit from Bond funds:
Cascade Campus
NE Portland
- Add a simulation lab to give first responder and allied health care students hands-on training for medical emergencies
- Add facilities to offer teacher training in pre-kindergarten through high school education
- Add general-purpose classrooms to offer more high-demand classes and reduce the number of students on waiting lists
- Add a child-care facility for students
- Increase parking to make Cascade more accessible to students
- Improve heating and ventilation for safety and energy efficiency
- Increase capacity of library and other student services including admissions, advising, financial aid and career services
Southeast Portland Center
SE 82nd and Division
- Add science labs so students no longer have to travel to a local high school for hands-on lab experience
- Add career training facilities and equipment for welding, construction and electronic engineering technology programs
- Add a library and space for tutoring services
- Add general-purpose classrooms to offer more high-demand classes and reduce the number of students on waiting lists
- Open a child-care facility for students
Sylvania Campus
Southwest Portland
- Expand space for dental programs to serve more students
- Expand and update science labs to serve more students and offer renewable energy technician training
- Increase general purpose classroom space to offer more high-demand classes and reduce the number of students on waiting lists
- Make renovations that increase support for students, including registration and career advising to help students transition into the workforce
- Expand child-care facility for students
- Modernize equipment for automotive, machine manufacturing and photography programs to meet industry standards
(This information furnished by Shannon Mills)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure No. 26-95 | PCC
ARGUMENT IN OPPOSITION
PCC AIDS AND ABETS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
PCC gives illegal aliens seeking admission the same consideration it gives U.S. citizens. And it admits those illegal aliens at in-state tuition rates. Before the college asks taxpayers for more money, this must end.
• By admitting illegal aliens, PCC aids and abets a federal crime. This encourages more of that crime, and undermines respect for Americans' most precious inheritance – the rule of law.
• Competition is fierce for slots in many PCC programs. In one recent quarter, PCC's nursing program saw 900 applicants for 90 slots. PCC Communities magazine reports that PCC's welding program “has a waiting list of more than 100 potential students” and that its Rock Creek campus “still has waiting lists for many classes and programs.”
With so many of our own people in need of vocational training, it is immoral for PCC to force citizens to compete for admission with illegal aliens.
• PCC forces citizens to subsidize illegal aliens' in-state tuition.
PCC's in-state tuition is $70 per credit hour; its out-of-state tuition, $198. If, at those rates, over the course of the 20-year bond measure a mere 350 illegal aliens enrolled every quarter for 10 credits, the college would lose $35,840,000 it would have collected had those illegal aliens paid the out-of-state rate. By itself, this is almost one-tenth the amount the PCC bond measure seeks from taxpayers.
And who would subsidize the shortfall? The very property owners PCC's bond measure is targeting for higher taxes.
• Like all American institutions, PCC's first and foremost responsibility is to U.S. citizens. But when PCC admits an illegal alien over a citizen, it abdicates that responsibility – and renders citizenship meaningless.
Before asking taxpayers for more money, PCC's publicly-elected board of directors must enact a policy requiring applicants for admission to prove citizenship or legal residence.
Vote no on the PCC bond measure.
(This information furnished by Richard F. LaMountain, Oregonians for Immigration Reform)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.