Measure C

The Orange Coast, Golden West and Coastline Community College Classroom Repair and Public Safety Education Measure FACTS What is Measure C? Measure C is a $370 million bond measure that would finance facility and infrastructure improvements at the colleges within the Coast Community College District - Orange Coast College, Golden West College and Coastline Community College. Why Now? The Coast Community College District Board of Trustees voted this summer to place the bond measure on the ballot. The District has not sought bond funds for its colleges in more than 40 years. Several factors motivated the Board of Trustees to act now: Combined enrollment for Orange Coast College, Golden West College and Coastline Community College surpassed 60,000 students in the 2001-2002 school year, and projections from the State Chancellor's office indicate continued growth in student populations in the foreseeable future.    Many of the colleges' buildings are decades old. Orange Coast College was founded in 1948, and much of the college's infrastructure has not been upgraded since the World War II era. Most of the buildings on the Golden West College were built thirty years ago.    In addition to infrastructure repairs and safety upgrades, it is also vitally important that the colleges remain up-to-date with technology. Classrooms and labs must be wired for computers and Internet access. While the District has done much of this work already, there are gaps that need to be filled.    Most of our college buildings are not energy efficient. The District could reduce costs and energy consumption by retrofitting utilities to maximize efficiency. The Dollars and Sense Maximizing College Revenue Sources The projects identified for bond funds are the result of a comprehensive study by both outside experts and District faculty, students and administrators. This study found the District's facilities needs totaled $470 million. Rather than seek that amount through this bond measure, the District identified $100 million in funding that could be obtained from other sources, including state funding. The Cost to the Public The impact of the Coast Community College District bond on individual property owners would be an average of $16.76 a year per $100,000 of assessed valuation. Under Proposition 39, Districts are permitted to ask for up to $25 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. Remember - assessed valuation refers to taxable property value, not market value. Taxpayer Safeguards This bond measure will be subject to the strict financial safeguards instituted by state law through Proposition 39. Those safeguards include annual, independent audits and the formation of a Citizen's Oversight Committee that will oversee the expenditure of all bond funds. That committee will include representatives from local taxpayer groups and experts in construction, project finance, and property and facilities management. Proposition 39 also mandates that bond funds only be spent on classroom and facility improvements identified on the ballot - none of the funds may be used for administrators' salaries. A complete list of projects that would be funded by Measure C is available here or at the District's offices in Costa Mesa. Please call the Public Affairs Office at 714-438-4606 for additional information.