The Navajo County Community College Governing District gave approval to a property tax increase and a proposed budget of $32.6 million, as well as a capital budget May 16.
The rate will be $1.8067 per $100 net assessed valuation compared to the current rate of $1.7884. The tax will produce $14.8 million, which is $472,985 more than last year.
More than 40 percent of Northland Pioneer College’s proposed budget each year is generated by property taxes collected from residents of Navajo County. This is subsidized by equalization funds from the State of Arizona. Next year, NPC is expected to see $6.7 million in aid, up 10 percent from previous years.
Relatively more aid is awarded due to the low property values in Navajo County as compared to other rural counties around the state. In order to retain the subsidies, Navajo County taxpayers are expected to provide the maximum amount of support through property tax levies. As is required, a public Truth in Taxation Hearing was held May 16 to hear views on the proposed levy.
Leading up to the hearing, the college fulfilled requirements to notify property taxpayers of its intention to raise the tax. This was done by publishing the information in The Tribune-News and other newspapers, as well as broadcasting on local radio stations. The information was also made available to the public through the NPC website, where taxpayers were asked for their input.
Former Navajo County supervisor Jerry Brownlow submitted his disagreement with the proposal through the website submittal page, noting, “I am opposed to the two percent increase in my property taxes. As your budget indicates, you have plenty of money in reserve that could be used instead of raising the property taxes on non-reservation residents to cover your need to increase the budget over last year’s amount. I don’t agree with your position that state leaders expect the taxpayers to support a tax increase every year.”
Brownlow’s thoughts were shared, at least in part, by Chairman Frank Lucero, who added, “This isn’t a single bullet just hitting APS (Arizona Public Service Co.), when APS closes, they stop paying property taxes and the burden falls on residents.”
District 4 Representative James Matteson also showed concern, saying, “Our job is to provide education opportunities for our residents, not APS. If we don’t provide adequate funding, the money comes out of the pockets of the students and their families. There’s going to be a greater burden on residents when APS pulls their pins.”
APS is expected to close the doors on the Cholla Power Plant by 2025, and will scale back production as early as 2019.
The motion to approve the 2017-18 property tax levy in the amount of two percent carried with one “nay” vote coming from Chairman Lucero in the special meeting that followed the hearing.
District 1 board member Daniel Peaches, who was ill, and District 2 board member George Joe were absent from the proceedings.
