SAVE EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE

Save Eastern Arizona College from being forced to make immediate, drastic cuts in educational programs and services that will likely lead to the college’s closure.

X Proposition 402

DOES NOT Increase our taxes.

Does not add funding to Eastern Arizona College’s annual budget.

Check Proposition 402

Allows Eastern Arizona College to cost-effectively utilize existing budget.

Allows and limits Eastern Arizona College to spend funds it already has.

Flowers

John Howard, Graham County Supervisor, District 2, emphasizes that a “Yes” vote on Prop 402 will not increase your taxes

The Problem

Over Five Decades ago, Arizona voters set:

  1. An expenditure limit on how much a community college district can spend based on a formula using 1979/80 fiscal year budgets.
  2. Strict financial penalties on community college districts exceeding its expenditure limit.

The formula has not been updated and is still calculated on 1979/80 budgets. EAC will soon surpass its spending limit and be subject to $60 million in financial penalties.

The Solution

Prop 402 moves the annual budget factor in the formula from $4.5 million to $9 million, a simple, proactive step that saves EAC from closure and allows the college access to already existing budget.

You Can Save EAC by Voting Yes on Prop 402

Proposition 402 will update the outdated spending limit established in 1980, allowing Eastern Arizona College to use its existing funds more effectively without raising taxes. In 1980, the expenditure limit base for Eastern Arizona College was set at the amount the College was spending that year to serve students, which was just over $4.5 million. Proposition 402 will permanently adjust this base created 44 years ago to just over $9 million, ensuring EAC can continue training and educating our workforce and offering cutting-edge programs that meet industry demands.

No New Taxes

Voting yes for Proposition 402 does not create new taxes or add new funding to EAC’s budget. It simply allows EAC to flexibly continue to use its existing budget. Nearly 90% of EAC’s funds come from non-local sources controlled by an outdated spending formula, not from local taxpayers. Proposition 402 is entirely separate from property taxes; it focuses solely on updating an outdated spending limit so EAC can use the funds it has saved for several years.

Economic Impact

EAC contributes nearly $250 million annually to the Eastern Arizona economy, supporting local businesses and 1 out of every 11 jobs in our region. Voting yes on Proposition 402 will allow EAC to continue boosting our economy and the impact is has on local businesses and job creation.

Preserve Affordable Education and Critical Workforce Development

Without Eastern Arizona College, Graham County students would be forced to move to larger cities to pursue higher education at universities that are three times more costly. By permanently adjusting the base, EAC can continue supporting students with a flexible, high-quality, and affordable education. This includes affordable bachelor’s degrees, programs that support high school students, and impactful workforce development programs that meet critical needs for our economy.

Workforce Readiness

EAC plays a vital role in training and educating our local workforce, ensuring relevance in today’s rapidly evolving job market. Doubling the base factor enables EAC to continue offering cutting-edge programs that meet industry demands.

Not an Open Checkbook: Proposition 402 does not provide an open checkbook to EAC

It gives EAC the ability to use the funds it already has to provide educational opportunities at today’s costs. The recalibration ensures that funds are used efficiently and responsibly, aligning with current economic conditions without exceeding budgetary constraints.

Then vs. Now

A lot has changed in the past 44 years, including the expenses of delivering current academic services and infrastructure for high-impact workforce development programs that meet critical needs for our economy. When these constraints were set, the world was a vastly different place – gas prices were a mere fraction of what they are today, technology was in its infancy, and the cost of living was significantly lower. Today’s economic realities are far different, necessitating an update to these outdated financial constraints to ensure EAC can continue providing essential services and education.

EAC Nursing
1980
Now
EAC Computer Room
1980
Now
EAC Buildings
1980
Now

Corina Pino-Reyes from the Graham County Chamber of Commerce explains the stakes of Proposition 402

The Math Behind the Spending Limit

In 1980, the expenditure limit ‘base’ for Eastern Arizona College was set at the amount we spent that year to serve students. Each year after, the amount is nothing more than a number in the formula and does not represent actual dollars being spent. By permanently adjusting the base on which the expenditure limit is determined, Eastern Arizona College can continue supporting students across Graham County with flexible, high-quality, and affordable education.

Graham County Community Support

“EAC has been a cornerstone of our community since 1888. Voting Yes on Proposition 402 will enable EAC to continue delivering top-quality education and bolster our local economy with nearly a quarter-billion dollars annually, all without increasing taxes.”

Graham County Influencer

“As a parent, I want my child to attend EAC because it offers high-quality education at a quarter of the cost of larger universities. Voting Yes on Proposition 402 ensures EAC remains an affordable option for families like ours.”

Graham County Parent

“EAC’s nursing program is the number one program in the state, and we rely on it to provide us with highly skilled nurses. Voting Yes on Proposition 402 will ensure that EAC can continue to supply our medical center and the community with exceptional healthcare professionals.”

Mount Graham Regional Medical Center Administrator

Eastern Arizona College offers degrees and programs that meet our workforce needs. Voting yes on Proposition 402 is crucial to keep the workforce thriving in our community.

Industry Leader

Let’s stop outside sources from dictating how we spend our local education dollars and prevent a 44-year-old spending limit from harming our future. By voting yes on Proposition 402, we can keep EAC alive, ensuring nearly a quarter-billion dollars continue to support our local economy annually. EAC is essential for meeting our community’s workforce needs and preparing our students for in-demand careers. Support Proposition 402 to invest in our economy, workforce, and future.