TC holds public hearing

By Randy Grider
randy@casscountynow.com

Approximately 80 residents showed up July 21 at Atlanta Middle School for a public hearing concerning a proposed plan for Texarkana College to expand its in-district service area to encompass much of Cass County.
To become part of the in-district service area, the TC Board of Trustees would have to officially call for an election, and county voters in the proposed taxing district would have to pass it during the Nov. 8, General Election. If approved, property owners would pay a tax increase based on appraisal value of their property.
TC President James Henry Russell outlined the benefits  Cass County residents would receive if voters decided to join the college’s taxing district. These include a dedicated workforce training site, reduced tuition rates, increased dual credit offerings for high schools in the area and representation on TC’s Board of Trustees.
The proposed new TC taxing service area would cover most of the county, including Atlanta, Bloomburg, Linden-Kildare, McLeod and Queen City school districts. Texarkana College on Main in Atlanta offers some academic classes.
During the 2015-16 school year, local high school student enrolled in dual-credit classes earned 1,892 college credit hours. Russell said this is a savings of almost $1.5 million compared to the tuition cost at the average state college or university.
For non-scholarship students,  the proposal service plan expansion would allow students residing in the county to enjoy approximately $2,300 in tuition savings over two years.  Currently, TC offers approximately $500,000 in Presidential Scholarships to the top graduating seniors in these five school districts. These scholarships are raised by TC Foundation via private donors. 
The proposed $3 million to $4 million workforce training center would be built at a yet-to-be-announced location in Cass County. Plans are for it to offer 1-year certifications in welding, construction technology, cosmetology and licensed vocational nursing. 
Russell said joining  taxing district would allow TC to expand programs and services that are needed to meet workforce training needs in Cass County and reach the goals of 60x30TX, the state’s higher education plan. 60x30TX calls for at least 60 percent of Texans age 25-34 to have earned a college credential by the year 2030.  Russell added many businesses and industries looking to locate to an area often scrutinize the education level and certified skills of its residents.
“Sixty percent of all new jobs in the year 2020 will require some type of college credential,” Russell said. “Right now, we have a long way to go on a local, as well as a state level, to meet the 60x30TX challenge. If you look at data from the American Community Survey (2014), only 18.3 percent of people in Cass County have earned an associate degree or higher. If we are going to make a dent in reaching the state’s goals, we must have a plan in place and do all we can to assure access to affordable, quality higher education in our region.” 
Property owners  would be assessed an estimated tax rate of $0.111285 per $100 value of property starting in the fall of 2017 under the annexation.  The average home price in Cass County is $75,000, resulting in tax increase of $85 per year. But Russell said everyone needs to figure the tax for their respective property value. For example, a property owner with an appraised home valued at $100,000 would pay $110 per year for in-district service.
Russell said TC’s tax rate is the lowest in Northeast Texas and below the state’s average of more than 15 cents per $100 of appraised property value.  He added TC’s tax rate would probably rise closer to the state’s average at some point in the future, but he believes that would be spread over many years.
TC’s plan offers an exemption of $5,000 for taxpayers disabled or 65 years of age and older. After the initial tax is assessed on the homestead, the property tax would be frozen for seniors who are 65 and older.  Other properties not included in the homestead would not be qualify for this provision.
The tax would bring in more than $1 million annually. “Every dime we collect from the tax would be spent here in Cass County,” Russell said.
The most vocal critics were property owners who are opposed to an increase in their property taxes to fund the annexation.  The comments and questions varied. Some felt they are already paying enough property taxes, while others questioned whether classes that would be offered at the workforce training center meet actually jobs needs in the area. Others felt that students should be held responsibility for bearing the costs of their own education.
One of those was Charles Carroll, who moved from Bowie County three years ago. Bowie County is part of the TC taxing district. 
“My wife and I both have college educations,” said Charles Carroll. “No one paid for my college. I worked my way through. If someone wants it, they can get it. I didn’t pay for my kids. They had to have skin in the game. 
“College is optional. I don’t understand why you have to ride the taxpayers backs for something that is optional.”
Russell said in the past, the state of Texas had paid more than 80 percent of the costs of community colleges funding needs. Today, the state funds less than 30 percent of costs. Community colleges depend more and more on local funding to provide educational needs  to residents within their service areas.  
“If I make a business decision, I have to pay for it,” Carroll said. “This is a business decision of some students to do this. When are they going to start taking responsibility to bear the costs. I shouldn’t have to subsidize what someone is. 
“One of the reasons we left Bowie County a couple years ago is you passed it there and now you’re coming down here asking for this. I don’t see the cost benefit ratio for all this. I don’t see any businesses coming to Cass County because of this, and I’m not sure I want them coming to Cass County to a certain degree.
“You don’t have to have an education to have common sense and be smart. I’m all for education, being smart, but at what cost.”
County Commissioner Jon Borseth said while he supports education, he continuously hears from taxpayers who are upset about their taxes.
 “I understand your points and I appreciate that you want to help, but the taxpayers are paying more than their fair share already,” Borseths said. “I hear it all the time, taxes just keep going up, up and up ...
“The taxpayers get so tired of every time something comes, the taxpayers have to pay for it. Nobody else has to pay for it. The property owners get stuck with the bill.”
Not all in attendance were in direct opposition to the college’s proposal.
Joel Steger, Atlanta businessman and president of the Atlanta ISD board, said he supports more job training as he related how it applied on a personal level.
“My son-in-law wasn’t able to complete college. It was not because of a lack of intelligence or anything like that,” Steger said. “But he was able to complete  additional study and get a Microsoft certification. And with that job training, he has been able to support our daughter and his family very well. 
“So my only statement is that I’m in favor of the job training.”
Atlanta Mayor Keith Crow said he sees how having a workforce training site in Cass County could be a benefit in the area in recruiting new business.
“What we fail to see sometimes is, ‘There are no jobs for welders. There are no jobs for electricians.’ That’s because companies won’t move here because there are not welders or electricians,” Crow said. “It’s kind of the chicken and the egg thing ...
“These are the kinds of things we need in a big, big way. I think these guys are trying to help us help ourselves. 
“I want our community to better itself. I don’t want to be the lowest on the totem pole as far as education goes.”