Texarkana College calls for annexation election

By Randy Grider
randy@casscountynow.com

The Texarkana College Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday to call for an election to allow a portion of  Cass County voters to decide if they will join TC’s taxing district. 
The proposition will be on the Nov. 8 general election ballot for voters within the Atlanta, Queen City, Bloomburg, Linden-Kildare and McLeod school districts. If passed, property owners within the  district would be taxed at $0.110718 per $100 valuation.
By joining the district, residents within the annexed territory would benefit from a dedicated workforce training facility located in Cass County, reduced tuition rates for all TC courses, including online and dual credit courses.
“We are willing to partner with Cass County if they want to partner with us,” TC President James Henry Russell told members of the board. “This is simply putting that question on the ballot and letting the voters make the decision.”
Russell said TC’s highest priority is increasing the number of people with higher education credentials in the region. The 2015 American Community Survey reports that Northeast Texas has the lowest percentage of persons holding higher education credentials in the state. Russell said this is a red flag for the region. 
The state of Texas’ 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 told residents at a July public hearing in Atlanta that many businesses and industries looking to locate to an area often scrutinize the education level and certified skills of its residents.
“When it comes to educating students in Cass County, public schools are doing a great job with over 85 percent of residents earning at least a high school education,” Russell said. “But when it comes to taking that next step to earning a higher education credential that leads to a better future and increased wages, the data we see is staggering—only 13 percent of Cass County residents have earned a bachelor’s degree or better. This falls way below the state average of 27 percent.” 
If voters decide to become part of the TC taxing district, Russell said they will see a significant return on investment. 
“One of the major benefits of growing the district includes increased access to dual credit programs for area high school students and reduced tuition rates,” Russell said. 
“Just last year alone, students in Cass County earned 1,892 college credit hours through dual credit, saving families almost $1.5 million compared to tuition at the average state college or university. And if annexation is successful, TC students earning an associate degree or certificate would begin paying in-district rates for tuition amounting to more than a $1,000 savings per year.”
If voters approve the annexation measure, TC would also develop a workforce training site in Cass County. Programs being considered to offer at the new site include licensed vocational nursing, welding, and cosmetology. 
In addition, Cass County taxpayers would have representation on the TC Board of Trustees, providing a voice for the people in that area to meet their higher education needs. Taxpayers who are disabled or senior citizens age 65 years or older would see a $5,000 tax exemption and a freeze on their property tax after the initial tax is assessed.  
Russell said a recent survey indicates that 84 percent of registered voters in TC’s service area in Cass County have a favorable impression of TC. Voters also indicated through survey results that keeping a low tax rate is of utmost importance.
“TC has the lowest tax rate in our region and one of the lowest in the entire state of Texas,” Russell said. 
“Over the years, TC has maintained a stable tax rate that falls far below state average. In addition, TC has no taxpayer-funded bonds. No state or local tax income funds student scholarships—it’s all raised through the TC Foundation via private donations.”
Russell said he is more than willing to come and talk to groups and organizations of any size within the proposed annexed area about the proposition.