Arizona voters to decide whether expenditure limits for Maricopa Community Colleges should be increased – Chamber Business News

Maricopa County voters in November will vote on Proposition 486 and decide whether the expenditure limit for the Maricopa County Community College District should be raised.

Current law 

In 1980, Arizona voters established an expenditure limit to restrict how much a community college district, including Maricopa Community Colleges, can spend, even if funding is available. 

• The expenditure limit for Arizona community colleges is calculated each year based on veteran expenditures in 1979-80 multiplied by factors for inflation and enrollment. 
• The current base limit sits just above $52 million. 
• A community college district that exceeds its expenditure limitation is subject to penalties based on the percentage of the excess expenditures.

The proposed change 

Proposition 486 will permanently adjust the base on which the expenditure limit is calculated from approximately $52 million to roughly $105 million. 

• Adjusting the base limit will allow the community colleges to use their existing budget without penalty. 
• This adjustment will account for increases in workforce programs, technology infrastructure, career and technical education (CTE), non-credit training, baccalaureate degrees, and programs that serve high school students.

“It’s important to remember that Proposition 486 isn’t a request for additional funding or for increased taxes,” said Courtney Coolidge, vice president of government affairs for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which is supporting the measure. “It simply allows Maricopa Community Colleges to continue supporting students with a top-notch education without having to cut $100 million out of the system budget.”

The business community view 

The Chamber submitted a statement supporting Proposition 486 for the publicity pamphlet that contains arguments for and against the measure that will be mailed to voters before the election.

“The Maricopa Community College District (MCCCD) plays a crucial role in meeting the needs of our diverse and growing workforce. As one of the top employers in the region, MCCCD supported 108,295 jobs in the 2021-2022 fiscal year alone. It also contributed $7.9 billion in income to the Maricopa County economy, equivalent to 2.3% of the county’s total gross regional product,” the Chamber said. “Prop. 486 will allow Maricopa County’s community colleges to access the necessary funds needed to meet growing demand without imposing additional taxes on residents.”