Measure H Foes Slam College District

Opponents of a ballot measure that would allow the San Mateo County College District to issue $564 million in bonds say it would saddle residents with additional taxes in a poor economy.         

If approved by voters, Measure H would provide funds to construct and upgrade classrooms at the district's three campuses - the College of San Mateo, Canada College and Skyline College - by adding about $12.90 annually to each $100,000 in assessed property values, according to official estimates.         

The added tax would be in effect for the 25-year life of the bonds.         

One opponent, Jack Hickey, who serves on the Sequoia Healthcare District Board of Directors, said that another bond measure would bring the college district's total debt obligations to more than $1 billion.         

"We already have over a billion dollars in debt," Hickey said.         

Measures C and A were approved by voters in 2001 and 2005 respectively, together raising $675 billion in funds for the school district.         

"That's more than sufficient money to build classrooms," said Harland Harrison, San Mateo County Libertarian Party chairman and another opponent of Measure H.         

Harrison said he believes money from Measures C and A was squandered on the construction of parking lots, a health club and luxurious administration offices at the College of San Mateo, a $220-million project that was completed in April 2011.         

"They built a palatial penthouse for the office of administration," Harrison said. "That money was used inappropriately for a community college district."         

Proponents of Measure H argue that system-wide tuition hikes at Cal State University and University of California campuses have redirected many middle class and low-income students to community colleges, increasing the importance that the two-year colleges have in providing opportunities for higher education.         

An estimated 14,000 names were on class enrollment waiting lists at the three community colleges in San Mateo County when classes started this fall, according to Barbara Christensen, the college district's director of community and government relations.         

"It shows the demand is very high," Christensen said.         

State funding to the college district, she said, has decreased by an estimated $200 million since 2006, necessitating the need to issue another round of bonds. In addition to raising funds for new classrooms, the bonds will help pay for modernizing career technical training programs such as nursing, biotechnology and clean energy, she said.        

"The state has totally stopped funding for capital projects," Christensen said. "Cumulatively we've lost more than $200 million in the last five years. Going forward, we're going to lose a lot more."         

Christensen said that the average San Mateo County property owner would pay an estimated $78 more in annual taxes if the measure passes, a "small price to pay" for continued improvements at the county's three community colleges.         

Measure H opponents maintain that this is the wrong time to increase taxes on San Mateo County residents, and that the college district needs to budget through tough economic times without doubling their debt load.         

"They need to tighten their belts just like anyone else," Hickey said.         

Measure H requires 55 percent of voter approval to pass.

- Bay City News Service