The Texas Legislature doesn’t start their next session until January. But Blinn College administrators…whose legislative priorities were approved by trustees this month…say they have already had 75 meetings with lawmakers.
Trustees and administrators have scheduled a November luncheon in Brenham with lawmakers and other stakeholders in an effort to increase state funding.
While this year’s budget is safe, Blinn has responded to a call by state leaders to reduce state funding in the next biennium by four percent. Vice president Mel Waxler says the proposed cuts are “not strictly across the board.” He says there is “a mix of strategies”. That includes a “look at where the needs are, look at student demand” and “what efficiencies we can create in order to minimize any affect of any future cut should there be one”.
Blinn administrators have also signed a contract to spend $48,000 dollars to hire the first outside lobbyist firm in the school’s 133 year history.
Waxler says hiring HillCo Partners is “a measure of insurance in terms of being able to inform (and) to educate” lawmakers, “so at the end of the session we have accomplished our goals, which translate directly to directly to student benefit, faculty benefit, (and) community benefit”.
Waxler says the contract is not related to Blinn’s opposition to legislation last session breaking down revenue and expenses of the Brenham and Bryan campuses.
Waxler says there are no plans to ask for more money from Washington County property owners…who have the lowest tax rate in the state for funding part of the cost of operating the Brenham campus.
Click below for comments from Mel Waxler, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
Click HERE to be directed to Blinn College’s legislative update webpage.
News release from Blinn College:
In advance of the 85th Texas Legislative Session, Blinn College will ask state lawmakers to provide community colleges the resources to continue offering high-impact academic and career training programs at an affordable rate for students.
Blinn’s Board of Trustees approved six legislative priorities for the College at its regular board meeting Tuesday night in Brenham. Those priorities are:
1. Blinn supports the state funding goals for community colleges as adopted by the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) and Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT). This includes increasing core funding for each community college district by $250,000 per year; funding student success points at a minimum of $185 per point; and increasing state funding for community college instruction by $45 million, allowing community colleges to meet workforce skill demands, increase dual credit courses, and expand educational opportunities for all students.
2. Blinn College supports enhanced policies, programs and associated funding to strengthen the workforce development services and initiatives as adopted by TACC and CCATT.
3. Blinn College supports an increase in state funding to further Blinn College’s efforts to provide an affordable higher education for all students.
4. Blinn College is committed to strengthening its business and industry partnerships and to enhancing workforce development in all of its service area.
5. Blinn College supports additional state funding to offset the rising expenses associated with Hazlewood exemptions.
6. Blinn College supports maintenance of the existing level of state funding for the operation of the Star of the Republic Museum.
Increased state support would help Blinn and other Texas community colleges meet expanded demand for their services. Texas community colleges have seen an enrollment increase of more than 70 percent since 2000, and 78 percent of students who earn a bachelor’s degree from a Texas university have community college credit on their transcript.
“These priorities are designed to provide adequate support for community colleges across the state,” said Dr. Mary Hensley, District President/CEO. “These funds would allow Texas community colleges to strengthen business partnerships, enhance workforce development, fund expanded programs and services, and ensure that higher education remains affordable for Texas students.”
For more information regarding Blinn and its role in the upcoming legislative session, please visit: www.blinn.edu/gov_public/legislative_matters.html.
In other business, the board voted to set the 2016 tax rate at $0.0601 per $100 of property value, matching the 2015 tax rate. Blinn anticipates just under $1.8 million in tax revenue.
Blinn taxes are collected only in Washington County, and by law, property tax revenue can only be utilized for maintenance and operations in Washington County. According to an economic impact study published in 2014, state and local taxpayers receive a 9.4 percent annual rate of return on their investment in the Blinn-Brenham campus.