By Staff
On Wednesday, Oct. 12, during their regularly scheduled meeting, the members of the Cass County Human Services Coordinating Council learned about why the upcoming Southwestern Michigan College millage vote is critical to the college district.
SMC President Dr. David Mathews explained that much of what is being asked of the tax-paying members of the college district is merely to keep up with the community's growing need for higher education in the midst of continued state and federal budget cuts.
Andrews went on to say she feels that many people in this community may not realize how critical this situation is and therefore, don't feel the sense of urgency to vote.
Mathews confirmed what many meeting attendees already knew, which included the fact that base state aid to SMC is now below 1999 levels; and that more than 40 percent of SMC students need financial aid.
National data clearly shows that the more education a person has, the less likely they are to become unemployed. The data also shows that the more education a person has, the higher their weekly earnings are likely to be. "This data is exactly why we need to make sure those that are ‘at risk' in our community have a chance to improve their lives," Mathews said.
As a strong supporter of education, Andrews said, "Any taxes that go toward continuing education programs are essential to this community and we need to support it. I have supported of Southwestern Michigan College for a very long time and will continue to do so for years to come. Everyone who cares about this community needs to get out and vote on November 8th."