Vote 'yes' on ECC referendum

Elgin Community College has put forth a strong argument for a tax increase in a horrible economy when many are facing job loss and foreclosure: ECC is where careers are reborn.

While we look skeptically at any government body asking for more money during this economic crisis, we view this as a worthwhile investment that will help fill a void in the workplace and put more people to work. And the $178 million investment, spread out over the five counties ECC serves, is modest. About $25 in the first year for the owner of a $200,000 house.

The college is asking to sell $178 million in bonds. At the heart of the proposal is a $60 million health careers center that would greatly expand the college's nursing program. And nursing is where many of the job opportunities are at these days. Northern Illinois University plans to offer a bachelor's degree nursing program at ECC in 2010.

It also includes a $15 million regional public safety training facility, where people learn to become police officers, firefighters and paramedics. Eighty percent of those jobs applicants receive their schooling at community colleges.

The third major part of this building program is construction of a library. ECC was cited by accreditors in 2006 for having an inadequate library. It's a one-room facility built to serve 3,000 students. ECC now has more than 10,000 credit students and 4,000 noncredit students, which makes for lines to use computers.

While college leaders downplay the implications, it's conceivable that the college could lose its accreditation over the library, which would imperil the transfer of college credits to four-year colleges, along with financial aid.

The rest of the money would go toward renovation of facilities, including several roof replacements.

College leaders say there are no plans for an operating rate increase that you often see proposed on the heels of a construction referendum.

Given that students who find they can no longer afford four-year colleges will be migrating to community colleges and given that community colleges are the best places to retrain for new careers, we feel the time is right. Vote yes.