Money Grab by the St. Louis Community College District

I live in a community that has a Junior College district which has existed for years to educate people wanting to start their college careers and earn an associate's degree.  There is nothing wrong with this and it is St. Louis Community College's mission to provide a two year college education.

The college wants to expand its programs and "train people for the future".  Nothing wrong with this either.  Just do it with what you have been given by the taxpayers.

Now the junior college, with three area campuses, wants to increase property taxes by 44 percent.  The juco board really hasn't justified the increase nor given much information to the general public as to how the additional money would specifically be used.

And to top it off the district is already getting a sales tax from the public on top of its existing property tax levy.  For this reason I encourage you to vote NO on Proposition R.  If the board really wants to go beyond its mission then it should start a trade school.  Many of these already exist in the St. Louis metropolitan area.  If the junior college district can't do it within its existing budget then it needs to cut some of its existing programs that are not well utilized.

Combine this with a 44% tax hike, and very little explanation of where the money will go, makes this a loser all the way around.  Vote no on Prop R and the next time one of the board members who proposed this money grab runs for re-election, vote them out of office.