O.C. 2-Year College Boards Oppose Prop. 174

Governing boards of all eight community colleges in Orange County are on record: They oppose the school-voucher initiative, Proposition 174, in Tuesday’s election.

But since the voucher measure only directly affects kindergarten through grade 12, why are the two-year colleges so concerned?

“The primary reason for the opposition is the potential financial impact on the community colleges,” said David Mertes, state chancellor for the community college system.

In an interview from his Sacramento office, Mertes said that although few in the state realize it, community college funding would be slashed if the voucher measures passes.

The voucher proposal would drain money from a special budgeting measure passed by voters in 1988 to fund education statewide. That measure, Proposition 98, requires the Legislature to set aside at least 40% of the state’s budget each year for public kindergartens, grade schools, high schools and community colleges.

“Almost all of the community college money (given by the state) comes from Proposition 98,” Mertes said. “If Proposition 174 passes, we’ll lose at least 11% of our Proposition 98 money, because that 11% will go to students who are already in private schools.”

Supporters of the voucher proposal acknowledge community colleges would lose some state funds now provided by Proposition 98. But the voucher advocates claim that in the long run, the two-year colleges would be better off financially. They contend that the voucher initiative will save education money overall.

“The bottom line is that the state is going to have to educate 1.8 million new (kindergarten through grade 12) students over the next eight to 10 years, and Proposition 174 saves money in providing the education for those new students,” said Sean Walsh, director of communications for the statewide Yes on 174 campaign.

Walsh said vouchers would only cost half of what the state currently funds for a K-12 student. That savings, he said, means more state money ultimately would be available to community colleges.

“Does this proposition hurt community colleges? Absolutely not,” Walsh said.

But Mertes vigorously disagreed. “Their (supporters of Proposition 174) talk about finances is based on smoke and mirrors,” he said.

Proposition 174 would require the state to give every K-12 school-age child in the state a voucher. The amount is to be at least 50% of the average amount of state and local spending per public school child during the previous year. If passed this year, the vouchers would amount to about $2,600 per child, including all current private-school students.

Most community college boards in California, including all four in Orange County, have approved resolutions that condemn the voucher proposal and urge its defeats.

The lone exception has been Ventura County Community College District, whose trustees voted 3 to 2 on Oct. 5 to support the voucher initiative. The trustees’ action produced a storm of controversy in Ventura County, especially among teachers adamantly opposed to Proposition 174.

One of Orange County’s four community college districts also had a divided vote on the voucher proposal. Last August, the trustees of North Orange County Community College District passed a resolution opposing the voucher proposal on a 5-2 vote. The two dissenters were Cynthia Coad and Chris Loumakis, both of whom support the voucher measure.

In a recent interview, Coad said: “School vouchers can provide competition to stimulate public education to develop better programs.”

Loumakis, in an interview, said: “Proposition 174 is no panacea, but I think competition would be healthy.” He said he doesn’t think the voucher proposal, if passed, would cause major financial problems for community colleges.

Coad and Loumakis, however, are in the distinct minority among community college trustees in Orange County.

All other trustees in the county have voted their opposition to the voucher initiative, saying they believe it could create severe funding problems for the already financially troubled community colleges.

Monica Mukai, student trustee on the board of the Saddleback Community College District in South Orange County, said she is urging voters to oppose the voucher initiative because “I see a lot of danger to community colleges.”

Mukai, 18, of Laguna Niguel, joined the other trustees of her college district in August in a unanimous resolution against Proposition 174. Similar unanimous resolutions were passed by Coast Community College District and Rancho Santiago Community College District.

Since the vast majority of students at community colleges are old enough to vote, opponents of the voucher measure are trying to rally these students as a decisive bloc.

So far, though, Mukai has found most students have only a hazy knowledge of the measure.

“I don’t think a lot of people really know how Proposition 174 would affect community colleges,” Mukai said.