When Propositions A/AA passed in 2001 and 2003, Pierce College received $272.5 million of the district’s $2.2 billion to fund the first construction projects on campus since the Performing Arts Building was built in the late ’70s and early ’80s.
If Measure J — for jobs — is approved on the November ballot, the Los Angeles Community College District would receive $3.5 billion, $400 million of which would go to Pierce to allow construction of new facilities including a Library Learning Crossroads Building, Green Technologies Building and Digital Arts and Media Building.
It would also allow renovation of campus facilities and landscapes as well as the addition of solar panels for energy generation.
Richard Katz, campaign consultant for Measure J, said the bond would increase the job-training slots in the LACCD from about 5,000 per semester to around 50,000.
He also said the nine district colleges would be carbon-neutral in two years and completely energy-independent in five years, which would “save a ton of money in utilities over the general 30-year life expectancy of a building.”
Whether or not the measure is passed – which would require 55-percent approval from voters within LACCD boundaries – Pierce President Robert Garber said construction projects already under way from A/AA funds would be completed with the help of some saved money.
“It’s close. We’re at a point now with the projects that are currently under construction, yes, we’re obligating to finish those,” Garber said, “and the contracts allow a certain amount of contingencies.”
The A/AA bonds funded all current projects on campus, From the temporary Child Development Center and Parking Lot 8 to the in-progress Student Services Building and facilities in the Equestrian Center.
What it means for taxpayers
The tax from the past bonds — $17 for every $100,000 the taxpayer’s assessed home value — would not be increased if the measure passes, but it would be extended for another decade.
Garber said investing in its passage would be paid off and returned by creating a more valuable workforce with newly enabled students.
“Given an economic downturn, the challenge is people have to find jobs,” he said. “The opportunities are there in a changing economy that’s looking at future work with technology and media. It’s a good investment.
“People go out from the colleges and every dollar that was invested in their education comes back many times over in terms of paying taxes and contributing to the economy,” he continued.
“If you’re educated and have a middle-class job, you’re not using (public) health services, you’re not using social services and you probably take care of your kids.”
If Measure J is passed, Garber said the new projects should start within a year.
“It took a long time for A/AA to get going because we were new at it,” he said. “The biggest thing was our expectations were higher than our resources. So, after we went through this whole process of A/AA, we then discovered we couldn’t afford to (complete all projects).”
Three new buildings
David Tsao, bond A/AA project manager for Swinerton, explained the career-boosting emphasis of the three could-be buildings.
He said the current concept for the new library is “a learning-resources center that allows students to explore and understand some of the options they can take in developing their careers.”
“It’s sort of a mixed generation from what a traditional library and learning-resources center is,” Tsao added.
The Green Technologies and the Digital Arts and Media Buildings would allow students to develop careers in those industries.
“We were talking about potentially building the (Green Technologies Building) with exposed mechanical systems, allowing students to be in a building that demonstrates sustainability in itself,” Tsao said.
Opposition to Measure J
Because the measure comes in times of massive state debt and heavy taxpayer obligations, Pamela Brown, associate professor of political science, supports making better use of current resources rather than paying for new ones.
“High-school enrollments are declining, and the high schools are our feeder campuses,” she said. “That means our enrollment may be leveling off. Do we really want to build new buildings in light of that fact?”
Though Measure J would add new technology-centered facilities at Pierce, Brown thinks room could be made for hands-on technology additions by relocating “chalk-and-talk” classrooms to outside locations and shifting more classes online.
“Taft High School has plenty of excess capacity,” she said. “It is completely dead over there after 3 p.m. There are college classes taught by Pierce at satellite locations. There’s plenty of lease (space) in the Valley community if we do need extra space.
Katz said using old buildings for new purposes wouldn’t be entirely viable.
“In many cases, we’re improving existing structures” he said, listing the nursing lab at Valley College as an example. “In many cases, we have structures that can’t be improved or aren’t compatible for teaching classes today.”
Another Measure J-opponent, Shirley Svorny, chair of economics at California State University, Northridge, feels it would cast a shadow over underfunded programs like Medi-Cal, and students should be paying higher fees.
“My concerns are more about whose going to fund higher education in California, and I think the bulk of it should come from people who benefit from it,” she said.
If Measure J doesn’t pass
If Measure J is voted down in November, Garber said the current construction and renovation projects will be completed and the program will be shut down until future funding is secured.
“With that process in place, we’ll continue working to get funding from the state for future projects,” he explained, “but the competition for these state funds is enormous and the chances of getting a project approved is pretty slim.”
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