A $37 million no-tax-increase bond measure was used to build the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences building at the college’s Forest Park campus. The building opened in 2019 and serves about 400 nursing students. The goal is for the college to train 750 nurses each year, supporters of the August proposition said.
“Even though overall enrollment is down, we do have high-demand programs, and health care nursing is one of those at capacity,” said campaign co-chair Candice Carter-Oliver, CEO of Confluence charter schools.
The community college district covers St. Louis city and county and parts of Franklin and Jefferson counties. Because the college district tax increase is the only ballot question in multiple jurisdictions, election board leaders expect a voter turnout as low as 10%.
Local property taxes make up more than 40% of the community college’s revenue, or $69.7 million in 2020. The additional tax would have raised close to $28 million last year.
The community college’s tax rate was last raised in 1984 and stands as the lowest of Missouri’s 12 community college tax districts. If the measure passes in August, St. Louis Community College will have the fifth-lowest tax rate in the state.
Civic advocate Tom Sullivan of University City said the proposition’s supporters have not adequately explained how the annual tax increase would boost the region’s economy.
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