The election season is just around the corner and voters will have a lot of decisions to make.
For local voters, this includes MCCC’s zero-increase millage renewal.
MCCC’s new millage will be staying at the same rate as the previous millage at .85 mil (85 cents per $1,000 taxable value).
The decision to keep the millage the same was made by President Kojo Quartey, his cabinet and board of trustees.
“They were kind enough to pass this four years ago, so we felt that keeping it the same would be appropriate,” Quartey said.
This will cost the average homeowner less than $4 a year, Joe Verkennes, director of Marketing and Communications, had written on MCCC’s website.
The millage will last from 2021 to 2025.
At its current rate, the millage will raise an estimated $5.47 million for the college in 2021. This money will be used to begin phase two of MCCC’s maintenance and renovation projects across campus and the Whitman Center, with the total expected cost for phase two of maintenance and renovation at $31.8 million.
Verkennes said this total and the costs of individual projects are subject to change.
Phase two of maintenance and renovation has been divided into five categories.
Updating the student services and learning environments, enhancements of to safety measures on campus, bringing facilities up to code for disability and special needs accessibility, efficiency improvements to campus infrastructure and the overdue repairs such as parking lots and roofs.
More information on individual project plans can be found on MCCC’s website.
According to the Monroe county clerk’s office, 51.61 percent of voters approved of MCCC’s millage in 2016, but both Quartey and Verkennes said they have faith that the community will accept the millage.
One of the reasons for their confidence is the impact that MCCC has had on Monroe county.
Some of MCCC’s influences include 42 percent of 2019 high school graduates taking coursework at the college and MCCC being one of Monroe county’s largest employers, Verkennes wrote for MCCC’s website.
Verkennes also wrote that MCCC offered programs to prepare students for many local, high demand jobs.
“We’re preparing the workforce of Monroe county,” Verkennes said.
Another factor, Quartey said, was the handling of the 2016 millage, such as the construction of the Founder’s Hall.
“The funds we received four years ago we put to excellent use and the county can see that if they come on our campus and get a feel for what’s happening,” he said.
According to Verkennes, MCCC is also at the forefront of cultural and civic awareness in the community, holding meetings and seminars on various situations.
“What we do in this county is just beyond comparison,” Quartey said, “I’m extremely confident that it will pass.”
Registered voters can vote on MCCC’s millage on Nov. 3.
