By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS - County Commissioner Jack Teter, R-Edwardsburg, came out strongly Thursday in support of Southwestern Michigan College's 1.5-mill request Nov. 8, calling SMC &#8221one of our county's greatest assets.“;
The first wave of signs promoting the Nov. 8 millage request will begin popping up this weekend.
Friends of SMC, which furnishes signs, can be reached at 269/462-2400.
Commissioner Terri Kitchen, R-Silver Creek Township, who works at SMC, said President Dr. David Mathews is making a number of speaking engagements to townships to tell SMC's story.
Commissioner Dixie Ann File, R-Cassopolis, questioned why the millage is being sought &#8221open-ended“; in perpetuity.
Tuesday evening's meeting of the SMC Board of Trustees focused on the importance of the upcoming millage vote.
According to board Chairman Dr. Fred L. Mathews, &#8221The community survey from late August showed an overwhelming desire on the part of the community for SMC to continue to offer the same level of programs and services for the community that the college is currently providing.
In August, trustees voted unanimously to submit a millage support request to the voters at the November 8th general election. The proposed 1.5 mill property tax increase will essentially restore _ mill of funding erosion due to the Headlee Amendment and add one new mill of funding beyond what was previously approved by voters.
According to College records, Michigan Community Colleges receive an average of 41% of revenues from local property taxes. Southwestern Michigan College receives only 25% of its revenue from local property tax. One-half mill will essentially restore funding lost through the Headlee rollbacks and bring the millage back to its 1990 voted level. The additional one new mill will help to partially restore lost money from state cuts and provide funding for educational initiatives that are critical to our region, such as nursing and information technology.
At a previous meeting, Board members had acknowledged that the College had not done a sufficiently good job of explaining what was at stake last time when the College proposed the millage increase in May. With the help of the &#8221Friends of SMC“; the College has now embarked on an aggressive public information campaign. A series of informational ads are now running in several area newspapers in an attempt to reach as many citizens as possible. Informational brochures will be mailed to every registered voter in the College District in the coming weeks. SMC President Dr. David Mathews will also be speaking to community groups throughout the next four weeks to inform the community that State aid to Southwestern Michigan College has been cut to below 1999 levels and the ways that SMC has reduced expenditures, reduced faculty, reduced staff, and eliminated selected academic programs.
According to President Mathews, &#8221In contrast to the severe cost-cutting that the College has done, the community need for SMC programs and services is at a critical level. Now more than ever, our community needs the access to affordable, quality, higher education and job training that SMC provides.“;
Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Fred L. Mathews summed up the importance of the November 8th election by noting, &#8221As local citizens, we cannot control gas prices and other state and national crises which can wipe out jobs and prosperity for local communities. Over the next decade there will be Pockets of Poverty and Pockets of Prosperity across the state and nation. By investing in education and job training through SMC, we can help make sure this community will be one that can attract and keep jobs and prepare our citizens, their children, and their grandchildren for better jobs now and better jobs in the future. On November 8th, we trust that citizens will vote to invest in making sure that our college district will be a Pocket of Prosperity now, and in the future, rather than a Pocket of Poverty.“;