Continued Investment in College Facilities Urged by Valley Vision Board
Valley Vision’s 30-member Board of Directors urged support for Measure E on the March 3rd ballot which, if approved by 55% of voters, will authorize $650 million in funds to repair and upgrade classrooms, labs, and other educational facilities throughout the Los Rios Community College District.
“After the Board considered the demands for continued investment for higher education, the safeguards the measure has in place, and the importance of having labs and proper classrooms for the type of job training and workforce preparation we need in the Sacramento area, the vote was unanimous,” reported Trish Rodriguez of Kaiser Permanente, Vice Chairwoman of the Board who led the discussion.
Los Rios Community College District is the region’s largest and most important provider of job training to adults of all ages. However, the District Board believes that state funding is not enough to maintain and improve these facilities. Measure E provides these funds to improve classrooms and labs at four college campuses and their support facilities, benefiting more than 70,000 students per year.
“This is a no-tax-increase bond measure,” said Valley Vision CEO Bill Mueller when presenting the issue to the board, adding it faces no organized opposition. “Measure E has been designed to maintain current tax rates and could only be used for facility expenditures. A citizens’ oversight committee and annual audits would ensure funds are spent as promised.”
Incoming Interim CEO Meg Arnold underscored the importance of the bond issue to the achievement of initiatives Valley Vision is undertaking to prepare a 21st century workforce. And Garry Maisel, CEO of Western Health Advantage, said that the bond would also advance the region’s push for the California Mobility Center, a global center for new clean technologies that will train and employ local residents in new facilities.
Valley Vision’s purpose is to advance a more prosperous, just and sustainable region and state. To learn more about the bond, please visit www.losrios.edu/measure-e.
Bill Mueller was Valley Vision’s Chief Executive through January 31st, 2020.