Hopes for west side campus for ACC die
College officials to review capital needs and, perhaps, present new bond package
Plans for a west side campus, technical building and campus upgrades for Alvin Community College have been sidelined after overwhelming voter rejection of a $88.5 million bond package.
“ACC does not currently have the financial means to pursue a presence on the west part of our district without a bond,” ACC President Christal Albrecht said.
ACC Board of Regents Chairman L. H. “Pete” Nash suspects that lack of voter support in the college district to spend $35 million to $40 million to fund a west side campus doomed the May 7 bond proposal, which he saw as including more crucial projects such as renovations at the ACC campus in Alvin.
Nash feels bond organizers made a mistake clumping separate projects together in one proposition.
“We’ll go back to the drawing board, rethink what we have, and come up with wants and needs that will go through,” he said.
“I’m confident we’ll pass it, especially if we sell it better and present it differently,” Nash said of a future bond proposal.
Over the course of the col-
lege’s 68-year history, voters have approved three bond packages. A bond package in 2002 also was defeated.
The most recent package would have provided $48.5 million to $53.5 million for campus improvements, including a technical education building to provide space for existing programs such as welding, pipe fitting and industrial design, Nash said.
Other bond money would have created more study spaces for students, replaced aging mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and provided upgrades to furniture and technology in classrooms.
Albrecht saw multiple reasons for the proposal’s dramatic failure in the election. According to unofficial results, 3,173 out of 4,600 voters — or 69 percent — rejected the proposition. Confusion about cost
“There was confusion regarding the cost of the bond to the taxpayers,” she said.
The bond proposal would have resulted in a 34 percent increase in the college district’s tax rate. In the context of the total tax bill residents pay to various entities, the increase would have been less than 3 percent, Albrecht said.
“Information from the bond’s opposition had some believe that taxes overall (from local taxing entities) would increase 34 percent, which was not true,” she said.
The district’s tax rate is 20.4 cents per $100 valuation. The package would have added 6.9 cents to the rate, increasing it to approximately 27.3 cents.
The increase would be have been about $121 a year for the average ACC home value of $175,000 for a total tax bill of about $478.
Albrecht also noted that in the weeks before the election, many district homeowners received appraisal reports that showed significant increases in the values of their property.
She believes residents in the city of Alvin felt that the proposed west side campus was not needed.
Voter turnout may have also played a role as Albrecht said west side voters did not turn out in expected numbers. Turnout was low
“The voter turnout in general hurt us,” she said. “Less than 9 percent of registered voters turned out to cast ballots.”
The district has 54,302 registered voters and an enrollment of 5,300.
Albrecht admits the district should’ve done better to disseminate its message.
“Obviously, we were very disappointed with the failure of the bond, especially since the telephone and web survey conducted indicated that the bond should have passed at 66 percent —plus or minus a 5 percent margin of error,” she said.
The May 7 election also included election of three new regents to the district’s board.
“We will work with the new board of regents to develop a plan to face the challenges,” Albrecht said.