With Odessa College’s $355 million bond election coming up Nov. 5, President Gregory Williams made his case Tuesday before the Odessa Chamber of Commerce’s Information and Discussion Group at the Odessa Country Club.
Early voting runs from Oct. 21-Nov. 1 and the last day to register to vote is Oct. 7. There is a political action committee, Power Odessa, that has signs up and is on social media. The political action committee is headed by Shem Culpepper and Tim O’Reilly.
As an example of how much property taxes would increase, on a $334,000 home, it would be about $30 per month or $360 a year more in property taxes over what homeowners are already paying.
During their Sept. 19 meeting OC trustees approved the 2024 tax rate of $0.176887 per $100 valuation during their meeting which increases the effective tax rate by 2.20 percent, according to information from the meeting. This is not the rate it would be if a proposed $355 million bond passes Nov. 5.
That would increase the debt service tax rate by 11 cents or $15 a month.
The average taxable value of a home in Ector County is $167,140 based on certified numbers OC received July 25. That home tax rate would increase about $15 per month if the bond passes.
The average home market value is $210,515, OC Chief Financial Officer Brandy Ham has said.
Williams said people should think of the bond as an investment in the community. Reasons they are embarking on the Vision 2030 + are growth, the age of the college, which is 78, and infrastructure needs.
“I want you to see that we’re expanding the tax base. We’re going to have more people come in and help with that lift to help pay those taxes. We are creating more opportunities. We’re going to have more businesses come in … Odessa College partners with them,” Williams said.
He added that OC can also save parents money on higher education through dual credit where students can earn college credits and/or associate degrees while they are still in high school.
In 2011, OC experienced a funding scare because its enrollment was low. Since then, state funding has changed to take in student outcomes.
In response to the funding scare, OC began offering First Class Free, the drop rate improvement program, eight-week classes, Drive to Success, 30 for 30 and other initiatives.
When Williams started as president, there were 4,000 students at OC. Last fall, OC had its largest fall enrollment ever of 8,800. As of Sept. 30, OC had 9,800 students and are edging close to 10,000.
Bachelor’s degree attainment is 16.6 percent in Ector County; 32.2 percent in Texas; and 34.3 percent in the U.S.
According to information from the meeting, five-year fall enrollment growth from 2017-2022 shows OC up 27.6 percent. The average of all Texas community colleges is 7.9 percent for the same period.
As of 2023, OC served 16,000 total students in a year, Williams said.
Their goal is to serve 20,000.
Waco economist Ray Perryman says by 2040 the area will need more than 190,000 people. That’s on top of what’s needed now.
“We have a number of impactful programs, continuing education, energy industry programs …,” veterans services and other programs, Williams said.
This past summer, a Vision 2030 Planning Committee was convened.
“We talked about, what are the needs of Odessa College as we go forward? What are some of the things we need to work on? And these are the things the committee considered. We gave tours. We showed the good, the bad and the ugly,” Williams said.
He added that the state does not provide funds for facilities or buildings for community colleges. Funding sources for OC are 44 percent local taxes, 25 percent tuition and fees, 26 percent state appropriations and 5 percent other income.
With House Bill 8 and performance based funding, Williams said OC saw an increase of 43.8 percent for fiscal year 2023-24 and 36.7 percent for 2024-25.
Voters approved a $68.5 million bond for OC in 2010.
This bond also includes a workforce center in conjunction with Ector County ISD, child development and care center, community health and wellness center and a new fine arts and performance venue, and a downtown business innovation center, among other projects.
The pool in the Sports Center is as much up as it is down. It leaks water. The women’s locker room had pipes burst that rained sewage down.
Based on the taxable appraised value, not the market value, of a home, if the bond passed the cost, according to Odessa College would be:
- Taxable appraised value of $200,000 = increase of slightly under $18 per month
- Taxable appraised value of $300,000 = increase of slightly under $27 per month
- Taxable appraised value of $400,000 = increase of slightly under $36 per month
- Taxable appraised value of $500,000 = increase of slightly under $54 per month
These values maybe different if a property has a property tax exemption in place such as for those age 65 or older, disabled persons, disabled veterans and surviving spouses of disabled veterans, etc.
