Funding of community colleges debated

State lawmakers and North Idaho community members agree that community colleges are a valuable asset to any area, but there’s a big disagreement about how they should be funded and who should control them.

Friday’s meeting at North Idaho College of the legislative interim committee on community colleges was NIC representatives’ chance to tell the committee that the system it uses – local property taxes and a locally elected board – should stay in place even if a statewide system is set-up.

“We pretty well put in place what you’re talking about establishing in the state of Idaho, and it’s working very well,” said Rolly Williams, chairman of NIC’s Board of Trustees.

Made up of 18 state senators and representatives, the interim committee is charged with making a recommendation about how to set-up a statewide community college system, something the Legislature tried to do last session. Committee co-chairman John Goedde, a GOP senator from Coeur d’Alene, said Friday’s meeting wasn’t intended to bring about any final solutions – it was just an opportunity for committee members to brainstorm ideas and hear from NIC and North Idaho community members.

Governance and funding were the main areas discussed.

NIC President Michael Burke stressed to the committee the importance of continuing to allow community colleges to levy taxes locally.

“In all honesty, I would argue that control will follow the money,” Burke said. “The local property tax, I think, affords us the opportunity of local control.”

But committee member Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, said his goal is to eliminate colleges’ dependence on the property tax. Charter schools don’t levy property taxes, depending solely on donations and state money to survive, and Clark argues that they have as much local control as they can get by way of a board of local citizens governing them.

Sen. Brad Little, R-Emmett, questioned whether funding all community colleges with state money would lead to them using it frivolously.

“If the state’s going to pick up the tab, boy I can see (colleges) waiving a lot of tuition really fast,” he said.

NIC Board Treasurer Judy Meyer, speaking on behalf of the Idaho Business Coalition for Excellence in Education, said what education leaders told the committee at its last meeting: Don’t start new community colleges by taking money away from NIC and the College of Southern Idaho.

“There must be new funding,” Meyer said.

Some questioned why a new community college system is even needed. The current system allows districts to start their own community college if at least 66.6 percent of voters approve.

“We feel that is how it should be,” said Jonathan Coe, president of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce, though he suggested adding an income tax exemption for property tax payers contributing to a community college to provide incentive for voters to approve the colleges.

Sen. Little agreed, saying that though Idaho has a reputation as the “Bangladesh of community colleges,” the current system works great.

“It’s just the rest of the state hasn’t had the courage to stand up” and use it, he said.

The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for July 25 in Idaho Falls.