The
Livonia Chamber of Commerce will support Schoolcraft College’s millage request that
goes to area voters in November.
The
Chamber’s Board of Directors voted to endorse the millage, concluding three
months of research and analysis by Chamber leaders. They concluded the added revenue is necessary
to keep tuition affordable, while supporting current and new programs that
connect students to in-demand jobs sought by local companies.
“There is a lot of value to the community to have
access to lower-cost, higher education,” said Board Chairman-Elect Dan Laible, who
is the CFO for Livonia manufacturer NYX Inc. “When you look at how Schoolcraft
College stacks up to their peers, and the quality of service they provide to
our business community, this is a worthwhile investment.”
Schoolcraft College, seeking its first millage increase
since 1986, is asking voters on Nov. 3 for a 0.6-mill tax increase over a
10-year period. Schoolcraft President Dr. Conway Jeffress said the added tax
capture would help the school add certificate and associate-degree programs for
in-demand fields such as additive manufacturing and health care administration.
He added many capital improvements have
been frozen in recent years, but Schoolcraft needs to update some of its aging
buildings that date back to the college’s opening in 1962.
This millage election impacts voters in the Livonia,
Plymouth-Canton, Northville, Clarenceville, and Garden City school districts.
If approved, owners of a $200,000 home would pay about $60 more a year in
property taxes.
Schoolcraft College serves some 30,000 students and reports
61% of its students graduate or transfer to a university, which is the best
rate among community colleges in Michigan. The school has a record of
efficiency, providing 263,804 credit hours on a $96.2 million budget in
2013-14, while neighboring Washtenaw Community College provided 250,506 hours
for $115.9 million in the same year.
Like many Michigan municipalities, the college lost tax
revenue since 2008 with plunging property values in the area, but Jeffress said
the Schoolcraft Board of Trustees has limited annual tuition increases up to
one percent more than the consumer’s price index (CPI).
“Since the business community stands to gain from this
investment, this millage request shares added costs for new programs with the
business community,” said Dan West,
president and CEO of the Livonia Chamber of
Commerce. “We believe this will enhance workforce development initiatives
sought by our member businesses in recent years, which has emerged as a leading
economic development issue for our region.”
The Livonia Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit trade
organization that represents nearly 900 companies and community groups in and
around Livonia, and advocates for the Livonia business community. In recent
years, the Chamber has focused on promoting good career opportunities in
high-demand skilled fields such as advanced manufacturing, information
technology, electronics, and welding.
