craigdailypress.com

Officials from the Craig campus at Colorado Northwestern Community College aren't asking the public for more money. They're just asking the community to allow them to keep what funding they have.

That's the philosophy behind the college's mill levy proposal, which voters will decide during the November general election. The extension proposes to leave the CNCC mill levy at 3 mills indefinitely.

"We could lower it if we wanted to, but if we wanted to raise it, we would have to ask the voters," said Gene Bilodeau, dean of the CNCC Craig campus.

An approved extension, he added, would allow the 3-mill levy to "continue and we wouldn't have to go back to the voters and ask for it."

The mill levy, approved by voters in 1999, has a 10-year sunset, meaning it would expire in 2009. It raises about $1.1 million per year for the college.

Bilodeau said the college is proposing the mill levy in November -- three years ahead of its 2009 expiration -- so it can learn the fate of its funding source ahead of time. Knowing whether the mill levy will continue allows the college to better plan for facility uses and develop contingencies if the levy is rejected, he said.

"For our planning purposes, if we know this November that we're good to go, we can move forward," the dean said.

The college is in the midst of developing its five-year strategic plan, which outlines procedures for improving facilities and academics. The mill levy money, which may be used for five areas including tuition and scholarships, is earmarked for facilities.

The college will launch its pro-mill levy campaign Thursday at the Boys & Girls Club of Craig. The campaign kick-off begins at 10 a.m. and will last until noon. The public is invited to attend the informational meeting.

Bilodeau and CNCC president John Boyd will present information and address questions from the public during the meeting.

Both Colorado gubernatorial candidates -- Democrat Bill Ritter and Republican Bob Beauprez -- have been invited to attend as have other candidates running for office. Bilodeau said either the governor candidates or their running mates would attend.

Candidates will not address the public, he said.

"It's more of we've invited them to come and show their support," he said.

Joshua Roberts can be reached at 824-7031, ext. 210, or jroberts@craigdailypress.com.