Cuyahoga Community College President Michael A. Baston on Nov. 8 expressed gratitude to voters for backing the school’s 2.1-mill renewal levy with a 0.4-mill increase for operating educational services expenses in the Nov. 7 General Election.
The countywide issue passed 225,336 to 140,741, securing 61.55 percent of the vote, according to unofficial final results from the Cuyahoga County Elections Board.
Collection of the levy begins in 2024 and runs for 10 years.
Additionally, the measure will generate approximately $74 million per year for Tri-C and cost taxpayers $67 annually per $100,000 in property valuation, according to the Cuyahoga County Auditor’s Office.
According to officials, the college will use levy proceeds to keep tuition affordable, provide up-to-date education and training, enable students to earn two years of college credit and support technical education and workforce training.
“This (passage) is part of a 60-year heritage of the community supporting Tri-C and the great work that we do,” Baston said. “Cuyahoga County voters place their trust in us, and now we get to say, once again to our voters, ‘We won’t let you down.’
“By providing accessible, flexible education in industries vital to our region and connecting people to life-changing work, we can create inclusive prosperity for all Northeast Ohioans,” he added, noting that 85 percent of students who graduate from Tri-C live or work in Cuyahoga County.
Voters in 2019 approved a countywide 10-year, 1.9-mill renewal levy with a 0.4-mill additional levy for equipment, workforce development and additional programming with 64.27 percent of the vote.
“Studies show that the impact of investment in the college is far-reaching and it can be seen in the lives of the students we serve,” Baston said. “Every dollar spent on education at Tri-C provides $11.80 in economic benefits to Greater Cleveland and beyond.
“The community continues to view Tri-C as an essential higher education resource in this region,” he added. “Their resounding approval helps set the stage for our continued impact in the community in the years ahead.”
