Assemblyman Predicts Smaller Fee Increase at Community Colleges

Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Jack O’Connell said Friday he expects community colleges will have to raise student fees again this year to make up for more cuts in state funding.

But O’Connell, a member of the Assembly Democratic leadership, said he “can’t live with” the extensive college funding cuts proposed in Gov. Pete Wilson’s budget, which would force average student fees to jump $600 a year. He said he believes the Legislature will settle for fewer cuts that will require a smaller fee increase of $150.

O’Connell, who represents Carpinteria, made his comments after the presidents of Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges spent 1 1/2 hours pleading their case to be spared from deep cuts. O’Connell predicted that the Legislature would target other portions of the budget to avoid hitting the community colleges too hard.

“We may pare a little from the Department of Corrections, there may be some savings in the state administration,” he said.

He emphasized, however, that Wilson’s proposal to cut 11% from the community colleges budget was much too high. “This is the opening salvo,” he said, speculating that lawmakers and the governor would probably compromise with cuts of about half that amount.

“I think there will be some reduction. Everyone has to share in the pain,” said O’Connell, a Ventura College graduate. “Right now higher education is paying more than its share.”

Last year, the Legislature raised community college fees from $6 per unit to $10 per unit, and began charging $50 per unit for students who have bachelor’s degrees. Wilson was pushing for an increase to $20 per unit. This year he has proposed charging $30 per unit.

O’Connell said he feels any increases this year should go into effect gradually. Last year, he fought for and lost a bid to put a cap on how high fees should be allowed to rise, he said.

In Friday’s meeting, college officials warned O’Connell that the governor’s proposed 11% cut would require slashing education programs and laying off staff. They urged O’Connell to make the community colleges a priority this year.

“That will decimate our programs,” Chancellor Thomas Lakin said of the governor’s proposed budget.

Last year, Ventura County Community College District trustees trimmed about $2 million from the budget of the three colleges. Officials were able to avoid reducing class offerings and dismissing staff, but many vacant positions will not be filled for some time, said Jeff Marsee, vice chancellor of administrative services.

College presidents on Friday sought to bolster their importance to the community by outlining some of their job-training programs to O’Connell and representatives of other local legislators.

Lakin pointed out that most lawmakers have college degrees, many of them from the state’s public colleges. “I think it’s such a hypocrisy,” Lakin said. “They’re all educated people in Sacramento, aren’t they?”

O’Connell agreed that higher education should be a priority, but also advocated that communities take a bigger role in funding their local community colleges. Being dependent on state funding means being “at the mercy of the economy,” he said.

Gregory P. Cole, head of the community college district board, suggested that it is unfair to shift the financing burden to local government. “If the state hasn’t been able to do it, and the federal government sure hasn’t been able to do it, what makes you think the local entities can do it?” he asked O’Connell.

“I have faith in the local electorate,” O’Connell said.

Last year, the governor and Legislature were delayed repeatedly in reaching a budget compromise because of a fight over public education spending.

“It may be that way again this year,” O’Connell said.