The voters’ passage of Proposition 30 means good news for College the Canyons students, according to COC officials.

The local community college will now be offering a winter session, with approximately 100 classes online. The passage provided a $4.6 million boon to the school.

Voters passed Proposition 30 on Tuesday with 53.9 percent of the vote, increasing the state income taxes on earnings over $250,000 for seven years and the state sales taxes by a quarter-cent for four years.



The passing of the proposition means the state’s educational system will avoid several billion dollars in trigger cuts.

“We are very pleased that it passed, after the 20 percent cuts that we’ve taken, the $4.6 million cut, if it didn’t pass, (it) would have diminished the ability to further offer classes and meet the demand for training,” said Eric Harnish, Director of Government Relations at College of the Canyons.

The failing of Proposition 30 would have not only affected College of the Canyons it also aimed at affecting Santa Clarita Valley schools, as well as UCs and CSUs.

The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees adopted a resolution in support of Proposition 30 in late October. “We have a responsibility as stewards of this institution in particular, but also community colleges in general, to try and protect it,” Board of Trustees Member Michele Jenkins said. “We need the California Community College System to be able to continue on and flourish.”



The Increased state tax revenues averaging about $6 billion annually will be available for funding the state budget, guaranteeing public safety realignment funding as well as school funding.

A no vote on 30 would have affected our local courts, as well. 



“I would say that what the public needs to expect in the coming years is a further reduction of services, and that’s what the public needs to be prepared for,” said Mary Hearn, spokeswoman for Los Angeles County Superior Court adding “We’re looking at further cutting services somewhere between $54 million on the low end and $82 million on the high end.”



These projections were based on the passage of Proposition 30, if 30 did not pass, the Santa Clarita Valley could have seen cuts over the $100 million mark.

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