2007-089-RES-In response to Governor's veto of certain funding for PJC and other state community colleges and comments made by Governor Perry about community college request for funding

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RESOLUTION N0. 2007-089 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, IN RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR'S VETO OF CERTAIN FUNDING FOR PARIS JUNIOR COLLEGE AND OTHER STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND COMMENTS MADE BY GOVERNOR PERRY ABOUT COMMUNITY COLLEGE REQUEST FOR FUNDING; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, Paris Junior College and the other forty-nine Texas community college districts enroll over 50 percent of public higher education students; and, WHEREAS, Paris Junior College serves as the primary trainer and re-trainer of people in Paris and Lamar County entering and becoming successful in the area workforce; and, WHEREAS, Paris Junior College has continued to increase higher education opportunities and workforce training programs for our region which has led to consistent enrollment growth; and, WHEREAS, Paris Junior College has grown and contributed significantly to the State's Closing the Gaps goals; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Paris has reviewed Governor Perry's press statements and proclamations regarding the veto action, including disparaging language suggesting that Paris Junior College and other Texas community colleges have submitted legislative requests that are "fraudulent" in nature; and, WHEREAS, we as responsible citizens representing the City of Paris object to the Governor's budget cuts and to the language used which undermines the public trust of our community colleges statewide; and, WHEREAS, the Governor has failed to act upon the original agreement when community college districts were established for Texas, and the funding formula established for instruction costs to be paid by the State, and construction and operation costs would be paid for by the local college districts through tuition, fees, and taxes; and, WHEREAS, the fiscal impact of the vetoed funding for health benefits in the amount of $154,000,000, and of the veto of new campus funding to Paris Junior College and other colleges around the state will be devastating; and, WHEREAS, college officials will either have to raise tuition for students, reduce services and offerings, or find additional ways for local taxpayers to cover the shortage, all potentially endangering the stability of these institutions of higher education; and,