Three major state bond issues are on the ballot this November, and if voters approve, could provide more funding to higher education institutions in California, New Mexico and Rhode Island.
Meanwhile, Utah voters will also focus on a ballot question that would increase funding for colleges without the state taking on more debt.
Where and how the funds are applied varies by state, from improving the basic functionality of community college buildings to increasing investment in innovation and technology at flagship schools. But just over a week after Election Day, all four ballot measures appear to have more support than opposition.
All told, there are nearly 160 statewide ballot measures in 41 states, according to Ballotpedia. Only a handful are related to higher education. We have summarized the measures we are paying attention to.
Keep the lights on in California
With heating and cooling systems failing, ceilings caving in and sewage systems on the verge of bursting, community colleges across California are falling into disrepair, and it’s up to voters to decide whether it’s worth fixing these aging facilities. Calmatters reports that it is up to the judge.
If the ballot measure, Proposition 2, passes, the state could borrow $10 billion to build new buildings and repair failing buildings to serve learners in the state’s elementary, secondary, and associate degree programs. Become. Most of the money will go to K-12 projects, but 15%, or $1.5 billion, will support community colleges. A no vote, on the other hand, would prevent California from increasing its existing $80 billion in bond debt.
So far, a majority of likely voters (54%) support the measure, according to a recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. But passage is not guaranteed. When lawmakers put a similar $15 billion proposal on the ballot in 2020, Californians rejected it.
Supporters include the California Teachers Association, the California Community College League, and Democratic Rep. Al Muratsuchi, who co-authored the bill that put Proposition 2 on the November ballot. Murado told Capital Public Radio that nearly half of the state’s public education facilities are more than 60 years old, and previous estimates indicate that public schools have more than $100 billion in unmet operating needs. He said that there is.
But opponents, including Republican Rep. Bill Esseri and John Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, argued that increasing the national debt was not the right approach. “Local entities should be responsible for funding these facilities,” Coupal told CPR, explaining that school districts should instead utilize their own local education bonds.
New Mexico facility updates
New Mexico’s higher education bond under Question 3 is significantly smaller than California’s $230 million, but it is the largest of the four bonds on the ballot in the southwest desert state, Albuquerque said. The Journal reported. If voters approve, the bond would enable capital improvements across higher education institutions, including tribal colleges and universities. State land grants and flagship institutions will benefit the most.
New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, for example, will receive $50.5 million for its main campus, branch campus, agricultural sciences and experimental station, the magazine reported. The University of New Mexico will receive $94.5 million to build new humanities and social sciences facilities and renovate and expand the School of Pharmacy on its Albuquerque campus. Emerging Mexicans have historically approved bonds, but the last time such a policy failed was in 2010, when a $150 million bond proposal was rejected, the Journal said. Reported.
Strengthening Rhode Island’s Biomed
In Rhode Island, a $160.5 million measure could help advance the state’s prospects as a leader in biomedical sciences and cybersecurity. Supporters told the Boston Globe that these areas represent good-paying jobs, economic prosperity and improved health outcomes for the state.
According to the University of Rhode Island, more than 5,770 Rhode Islanders currently work in the biotechnology industry, and 666 biotechnology companies are currently located in the state. Cybersecurity skills and experience are also in demand, with 2,700 current job openings in Rhode Island alone and more than 500,000 open positions nationwide.
Administrators at Rhode University and Rhode Island College, which will benefit from the bond measure, along with various local elected officials, are calling on residents to vote yes on Question 2. Construction costs for the University of Rhode Island will be $87.5 million. a biomedical science building to improve research infrastructure; If approved, Question 2 would also send $73 million to the University of Rhode Island. The University of Rhode Island plans to renovate a 66-year-old building to become home to the university’s Cybersecurity and Emerging Technology Institute.
Withdrawal from permanent fund
Utah voters do not have to approve a bond measure, but state officials are seeking more flexibility in how much money can be spent on education.
If passed, the legislative change, known as Amendment B, would raise the cap on annual distributions from the state school fund, a permanently set funding source, from 4 percent to 5 percent, allowing Utah’s public schools to Spending on colleges and universities will increase. Free to taxpayers. If the amendment passes, the state would be able to distribute an additional $14 million from the $3.3 billion fund. Public agencies received about $106 million last fiscal year.
Overall, the proposal enjoys wide support. Officials say the fund has grown significantly in recent years with income from land trusts and investments, and it’s about time to increase its dividends. Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oakes told KSL TV 5: “With consistently high investment returns, the fund is required to pay out more of today’s earnings.” “Amendment B would give the Office of School and Institutional Trust Funds the flexibility to fulfill its fiduciary duties to balance funding between current and future students.” ”
Notable non-financial measures
Beyond state-level funding issues, higher education policy experts are paying the most attention to Nevada’s ballot measure. If passed, this bill would allow for a complete overhaul of higher education governance in the Silver State.
The referendum, known as Question 1, would remove references to the current system, including an elected higher education board, from the state constitution. This arose as a result of long-standing tensions between the Legislature and the Chancellor and Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Lawmakers say the existing structure gives the 13-member commission too much power and not enough accountability, and that the regents position themselves on par with the state Legislature and escape oversight. claims to be possible. But current regents and other opponents argue that allowing Congress to appoint trustees could further politicize higher education and undermine academic freedom.
Outside of Nevada, there are:
The Third Amendment to the New Mexico Constitution allows the dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law to appoint an individual to serve as chair of the Appellate Judge Nominating Committee, if necessary. Massachusetts Question 2. This would eliminate the requirement that students must achieve a certain proficiency level on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam to graduate from high school. However, you must meet all local or district graduation requirements.
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