An in-depth
look at the
current ASG
president
Page 6
Raqueteers
jump off to
quick start
Page 7
Wednesday, April 11, 1984
Clackamas Community College
Vol. XVII, No. 18
Residents reject March levy vote
College to try tax base
By Shelley Ball
Of The Print
Just over two weeks ago,
Clackamas Community Col­
lege’s $26 million three-year
serial levy was defeated for the
second time in four months by
a vote of 12,655 to 9,488.
Since then the College has
regrouped its efforts, and dur­
ing a special Board of Educa­
tion meeting on March 30, the
Board voted 4-1 to place a tax
base on the ballot of the May
15 primary election.
The amount of the pro­
posed tax base is $8,282,018.
Since a tax base measure can
only appear on the ballots of
general and primary elections
during even-numbered years,
College President John
Hakanson said the Board
decided to take advantage of
the opportunity.
Although the College has
in the past tried to win a tax
base (this time will be the Col­
lege’s sixth) and has failed to
do so every time, Hakanson
said he hopes the voters will
realize at this point in time
that a tax base, unlike a one or
three-year levy, will place a
definite limitation on the rate
of increase for taxes.
“It (tax base) is quite a
commitment for the College to
make. The Board recognized
this, and decided to put one
(measure) up it could live with
for awhile,” he said.
Hakanson explained that
in requesting money through a
one or three-year levy the
Board can bring before the
voters any amount that it feels
is sufficient for the College’s
needs. Should the $8.2 million
tax base pass, however, the
College would be locked into
receiving that same amount
year after year.
A tax base does allow up
to a six percent increase in
funds each year to cover for
the cost of inflation, but
Hakanson said the College
would not be able to propose
more than that amount
without bringing it before the
voters.
“It (tax base) is a long
commitment by the institution
and the people, and it is a
limitation, because they (the
voters) know that taxes won’t
go beyond the six percent in­
crease,” he said.
The passage of a tax base
for the College would insure it
of a steady source of funding,
and the six percent limitation
on raising taxes may appeal to
the voters. A tax base would
also help to reduce the cost of
bringing money measures
before the voters.
But while the six percent
limitation has been provided
to cover the cost of inflation,
it is entirely possible that infla­
tion will run more than six per­
cent. This means that the Col­
lege may eventually have to re­
quest additional money in the
form of either a one-year, or
three-year serial levy or a
whole new tax base.
Hakanson explained,
however, that the College’s tax
base proposal specifically
states on the ballot that the
College will stay within the six
percent increase for 3 to 4
years, before possibly re­
questing more money through
a levy or different tax base
proposal.
Low voter turnout has
been cited as a factor in the
defeat of the College’s three-
year serial levy. Hakanson ad­
ded that the voters may have
taken one look at the levy’s
$26 million proposal and
“thought it was a lot.”
Hakanson also said the Board
decided on the tax base
amount of $8.2 million
College President Dr. John Hakanson
because they felt this was
enough to keep the College
operating as it is right now.
“We’re not talking about ad­
ding a whole bunch of new
programs,” he said.
Despite the fact that the
College has not been able to
pass a tax base in the past, the
fact that many school districts
have gone to a tax base over
the past 3 or 4 years is one
aspect Hakanson said may
help get the College’s proposal
passed.
For those who may have
been worried about the future
of summer school, Hakanson
explained that the levy failure
has not had an effect, due to
the numerous budget cuts that
were made during November
and December.
Council brainstorms for election campaign
A high visibility, low- ment at their March 29
energy campaign” is the new meeting to discuss what had
election strategy that will be happened at the President’s
used as Clackamas Communi­ Council Meeting on March 28.
ty College prepares to go Assistant Dean of Student Aid
before the voters once more on and Support Services Lee
May 15 with a proposed tax Fawcett was also present at the
base, Student Activities Direc­ ASG meeting. During the
meeting he thanked the
tor Debbie Baker said.
Two days after the Col­ students on the ASG for the
lege’s levy failed, Baker met work they did in promoting
with members of the thè levy election. Fawcett said
Associated Student Govern­ he was very “appreciative of
their efforts.
Baker herself said the
ASG did an excellent job, and
it was because of the amount
of work it accomplished that
the new election strategy is
stressing a low-energy ap­
proach.
“I haven’t seen a student
group put out as much work in
10 years as this group has,”
she said.
Baker explained the new
election strategy would focus
on less physical activities, such
as door-to-door promoting, to
a more visual approach. In ad­
dition to the usual posters on
campus and the blackboard
writing campaign, Baker said
there were ideas of newspaper
advertising, more lawn signs
and sending out of informa­
tion through the mail announ­
cing the College’s election pro­
posal.
Other ideas included a
telephone survey to establish a
positive voter list, and the
development of a speaker’s
bureau. Baker said the idea
behind a more visual ap­
proach, besides giving those
who worked hard before a
chance to rest, is to “make
everybody in the county aware
that we’re (College) having an
election.”
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