LTCC squeaks out a win with facilities bond
By Susan Wood
One couldn’t say Lake Tahoe Community College President Kindred Murillo doesn’t stand up for the college, judging from her behavior election night to see if the bond measure that would fund infrastructure improvements would pass.
With 100 percent of the precincts voting, the $55 million bond measure passed with 56.62 percent of the vote. It needed 55 percent to pass.
“I haven’t seen her sit yet,” said Wendy David, who threw a small gathering at her home to await City Council and Measure F election results. David was chair of the Measure F committee.
“I’m standing until I see the final results,” Murillo told Lake Tahoe News early in the evening.
Still, Murillo seemed relaxed and confident – and felt a win was in the bag based on the education gained from other elections. The belief is more conservative voters cast their ballots first. Those who are a little flexible with their funds may vote later. Her theory paid off.
Founding and retiring LTCC board member Roberta Mason can leave knowing physical upgrades are coming. Photo/Susan Wood
Murillo, though, said she respected how seriously voters take new taxes imposed on them.
But after a more than two-year assessment, the time is really now for the college to put its money where its building is, she said. Just to illustrate that point, Murillo declared her staff has all gotten over colds because the heating system lacks reliability. Students and community members as well have mentioned how cold the building is in the winter.
“This (bond measure) is really for them. The college opens doors for people to use for meetings, walks, runs and fundraisers. I want the Tahoe area to feel like it owns the college,” she said.
And what a send-off statement to LTCC’s retiring, founding board member Roberta Mason.
“We’ve received a tremendous amount of support. It’s the perfect time to do (improvement),” Mason told Lake Tahoe News.
This is not only an investment to our amazing college, but to the community. It may be bitter sweet for some and joyous for others, but our returns will be huge. This generation is our future. LTCC, please keep us voters informed with the new leaps and bounds that LTCC will make. :)
I believe the returns will be huge also. Cant wait to see it unfold.
Congratulations to our community!
What an amazingly gullible town ………..
We just got duped into spending $50 Million local dollars for turning out “highly educated” ……. uhh ………uhhh…… firefighters ?
Toxic, did you know that you can get a P.H.D. in fire science?
Someone didn’t spend enough time with the reading rainbow did they? Congrats to the community! This is great news!
Hi Toxic Warrior, I must admit I had to chuckle about your firefighter comment… But beside Fire Science, there are some excellent departments at LTCC and it’s a great option for those who choose to do their undergrad studies local. I just hope tuition does not go up being that some pay out of pocket.
Hey Toxic Warrior, speaking of firefighters… Where do you think our community article on Measure H is? LTN?..
Tinfoilhat,
Can you enlighten me as to how all these Fire Science P.H.D. Graduates are going to benefit this community ?
Wouldn’t it have been much more prudent to have designed the enhancements around technical sciences and computer sciences as a stepping stone for those going on to universities ?
I believe many of you voted for this extravagant bond out of belief that your intellectualism required you to do so because it had “education” stamped on it.
Thanks for giving is a gift that will keep on giving.
This really makes me angry, 56% of the people in this town are stupid.
Yes Toxic, afraid I must agree with you and Mtn. Momma. the voters were duped into thinking this was a great way to spend taxpayer dollars because it has “Education” stamped. Sorry, but wasn’t the Cali-lib lottery supposed to help schools? Ever since it’s inception I keep hearing from politicians that if we don’t tax this or that the schools will suffer. HHHmmmmm, more lies dribbling out of politicians. How shocking.
It won’t be too long before the truths and unknowns behind this folly begin to come out.
I am all for fixing the heat and the roof, but the university center, and the new structures, my belief is will all prove to be poorly estimated and they’ll blow through that 55 million and die waiting for the state to kick in the rest.
WHINERS AND FINGER POINTERS
The uneducated speak: Mountain Mama. Cranky Gerald, Gaspen Aspen, Toxic Warrior…..I’m sure you can find an episode of Duck Dynasty or Gerry Springer or whatever Kardashian smut is airing if you shift your channel away from Faux.
(I’m sorta surprised inJustice and Ralph haven’t chimed in)
Can you enlighten me as to how all these Fire Science P.H.D. Graduates are going to benefit this community ?
Umm…Question for you Toxic. Has this community ever been threatened by fire?
Also, fire science is the only thing the money is going to. Look at the plan on LTCC’s website.
Hopefully, the official vote count will show the same results. It is still too early to celebrate.
Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to try and get this measure passed.
Thank you to everyone who voted “YES.”
To spend 50 million taxpayer dollars on the college because the rooms were cold in the winter? Must be a pretty expensive furnace! I know that LTCC could use some upgrades, but for that much money? I just hope it’s well spent in a wise manner and there’s something to show for it. OLS
Hmmm: Just because we didn’t fall for this dog and pony show we are “uneducated? Just because we disagree with you we are uneducated? Not sure if you have any degree(s) but you haven’t the education to admit when you are wrong.
I’m a spring 2014 LTCC grad. I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive community college. My experiences there were some of the best in my life. I’ve since transferred my studies to UC Berkeley. My academic performance continues to be strong here at UCB. Having completed all of my lower division requirements at LTCC, I was fully prepared to begin my upper division coursework this fall. I am so appreciative to LTCC for everything. During my time at LTCC, I came to know the staff and faculty well. They are men and women of integrity. They care so much about their students. Kindred Murillo is a visionary. Her team is amazing and dedicated to improving the lives of students. It’s not just about a heating system, and it’s not just about fire-science (which, by the way, is an absolutely vital need in our community). Read the details of the bond’s plans. I know the resources will go far and every dollar will be put to good use, because that’s just the kind of people there are at LTCC. Trust me, I know. Take it from someone who owes a great deal to this marvelous school. I want to see LTCC thrive, and continue to give other students the incredible opportunities that I have had. I’m so happy this bond passed.
With 3,292 students enrolled, not terribly difficult to get them to vote to pass this shakedown.
Exactly, Steve! And how many of those students are homeowners or will be homeowners in this community at some point? I’m guessing very few, so the rest of us are forced to cough up the money to pay for this rediculous Measure. The College hasn’t maintained what it already has. So now the College will get to build more buidlings that will be poorly maintained and in 10 years they will be back crying for more because they can’t affort to maintain it.
Stamp “Education” on anything and the mindless sheep will follow with their ever shrinking wallets eager to pay yet another tax.
Tinfoilhat,
Can you answer the question –
Can you enlighten me as to how all these Fire Science P.H.D. Graduates are going to benefit this community ?
The Fire Academy and Facility only represents $20 Million Dollars of the measure so it must not be important.
Anyone else care to answer that question ?
Glad the smart voters got out and said yes, sorry to those of you who do not support this, I’m so happy for our community.
Toxic, I thought it was obvious. My apologies. A fire program trains people to protect us from fire. It is a real threat to our community!
the Keystone Cops training center, not every town can claim to have that.
in 2002 they were talking about Quonset Hut style dorms, I wonder if that’s still in the plans?
when I went to the Motel University it was easier than High School.
CalLover,
How are you going to give back to this community, which is what the proponents say will happen with this $55 million expenditure.
Steve and Linda are correct,
Get the students to vote this tax in, which they don’t pay unless they own property, and then they move on in a year or two and leave us property owners with the bill. And what do we or the community get out of it ?
I’m going to the college library in the next couple days, they better have some damn fine books there !
Glad to so this pass. It really was a no brainer.
Hooray for Measure F! Thanks all for voting yes!
How will CalLover give back to the community? Through taxes. Studies show that (on average) people with college educations pay several times more in taxes over their lifetimes than do those without college educations, because (on average) they earn more. Subsidies to education, over the long run, more than pay for themselves.
Education is a “social good.” We need educated people to perform the skilled labor that the modern economy requires. Some graduates will start, manage or make more profitable the businesses that employ us or our children, design and build the buildings we use, become the doctors and nurses who care for us as we age, and perform thousands of other skilled jobs that we all rely upon.
Community Colleges largely educate children from poorer families. The subsidies provided give these children the opportunity to break free from the circumstances of their births and make better use of their talents, which benefits them personally and us generally.
City Resident – well said!
Ditto. City resident. Well said callover.