GCCC Board of Trustees Approve 2020-21 Budget

Garden City Community College

[Garden City, KS] July 22, 2020 – Members of the Garden City Community College Board of Trustees voted to approve a 1.5 mill levy increase to reconcile much of a nearly $1 million funding gap for 2020-21 fiscal year.  

Trustees, who met Tuesday for a regular monthly meeting, voted 5-1 to approve the increase to the local mill levy for the current budget year, which began July 1 and will end June 30, 2021.

The increase in the local mill levy is estimated to generate $747,826 in additional revenue for GCCC, which will cover most of the expected 20-21 budget shortfall: $932,823. The remaining gap ($185,174) will then be closed by excess carry-over funds from the college.

The funding gap is a culmination of many factors including projected losses in state revenue and lower enrollment.

Dr. Ruda told trustees Tuesday that data indicates local taxpayers – as well as the southwest Kansas region as a whole – benefit considerably from GCCC on an annual basis, based on a 2019 study completed by EMSI, an Idaho-based labor market analytics firm.

Based on that study, local student spending adds an additional $2 million to the local economy, college operations make a $14.5 million impact, and area alumni who have entered the workforce following certificate and degree completion will contribute just under $61 million, the GCCC president said.

“For every dollar of public money that’s invested in GCCC, taxpayers receive $1.30 – that’s a 2.1% return on investment,” Dr. Ruda added.

The last time college trustees voted to increase the GCCC’s tax rate was in 2012 and in 2003 before then.

The 1.5 mill levy increase will cost a homeowner with a $100,000 home an additional $17.25 on their annual property tax bill.

The next meeting of the trustees will be held August 11, 2020 at 6 p.m. CST.

Garden City Community College exists to produce positive contributors to the economic and social well-being of society.