EAC Needs New Leadership For MORE Transparency

Why is the EAC budget going up when the student enrollment is going down?

Fiscal Year *	Budget	FTSE	Cost per/FTSE**
2018 – 19	$45,801,959	3,885	$11,790
2019 – 20	$44,786,337	4,389	$10,204
2020 – 21	$46,045,594	4,291	$10,731
2022	$48,747,165	3,348	$14,560
2023	$57,405,968	3,072	$18,687
2024	$58,969,670	2,818	$20,926
2025 (projected)	$62,194,698	2,587	$24,042

EAC’s in trouble…

(Not just from the expenditure limitation).

Spending is going up, while student enrollment is low. This trend is not sustainable long-term, so if we want to save our college, something must change.

Eastern Arizona College does a lot of good for our community…

We all benefit from the educational opportunities and the vocational training the school provides. This allows more of us to work in health, education or even the mines.

And we want this to continue…

Yet, EAC’s numbers show a possible spending problem…

Is EAC’s increased spending necessary – or is it an extra heavy burden placed on the hard working citizens of Graham County?

I’ll give you the numbers right now, so you can decide…

These are the important facts you need to understand the problem:

Eastern Arizona College is now the #1 consumer of Graham County’s taxes.

29.4% of Graham County taxes went to EAC’s budget in 2023.

Some are saying the huge increase in EAC’s budget is due to inflation…

So budget changes are necessary.

This may be true, yet a close look at their budget shows part of the problem may be due to unnecessary spending…

For example the advertising budget in 2023/2024 was $268,000, yet this year the budget was doubled to $524,000.

The problem is budget increases tend to increase the property taxes for everyone living in Graham County. This raises the cost of living – making it challenging for home owners, renters and future home owners…

Every family in our county has been impacted by inflation…

And we’ve had to cut unnecessary spending at times.

That’s why we’d like to see more transparancy with the spending at EAC – to balance the needs of our community with the needs of the college.

The Governing Board’s #1 Responsibility Is To Make Financially Sound Choices for the school and for you as the Taxpayer.

Yet their meetings are only once a month – at noon.

These lunch meetings don’t seem to be sufficient time to really review the complex issues facing the college, and make it difficult for the public to attend, give input, and be involved in the process.

We want MORE transparency.

Almost every year Eastern Arizona’s governing board members have voted to raise your property taxes:

2015 – 2% increase

2016 – 2% increase

2017 – 2% increase

2018 – No increase

2019 – 1.5% increase

2020 – 6% increase

2021 – 4.69% increase

2022 – 2% increase

2023 – 2% increase

2024 – 2% increase

From 2018 to 2023, EAC’s consumption of Graham County’s Tax Revenues has INCREASED by 25%.

The cost per student is now 235% higher compared to 2019:

Perhaps it’s time for new leadership on EAC’s governing board?

Because we absolutely need greater transparency if we are going to protect our familes from unnecessary tax increases, or we will end up paying more than we need to.

Wouldn’t you like to know why EAC’s administrative costs are going up so high, when our student enrollment is steadily dropping?

Well it’s the board’s job to provide oversight for the college, and balance the spending there with the needs of the taxpayers here in Graham County.

If EAC is already in trouble financially, perhaps it’s time for new leadership?

This is our vision for EAC’s Governing Board

With new leadership, we can change the meeting times to the evenings, so the public can attend. We can stream the meetings, so you are aware of any new tax increases so you have a voice.

Because, previously it has not been easy to attend these public meetings.

We want to weigh in on each policy, to avoid any unnecessary tax increases and wasteful spending. Because we want to keep EAC’s doors open for years to come – because all of us are willing to pay the true cost – that will support our college.

This is why we want new leadership for more community oversight.

For More Transparency – It’s Time For New Leadership

So, if you’d like to see more accountablity…

There are two district seats open for re-elction on this years’ ballot:

Write in Mary Bingham for EAC Governing Board – District 4

Here’s how to write-in a candidate:

1. On the blank line, write in Mary Bingham.
2. Double-check spelling
3. Fill in the circle

Vote Brandon Reed for EAC Governing Board – District 5

Unsure which district you live in? Go here to find out.

If you’d like to reach out to your current board member with your concerns, we’re happy to assist you. Or if you have any questions, email us at: [email protected].

Whether or not we get elected, we want your voice to be heard.

We want EAC to continue, and we support our college, yet we also want to protect the taxpayers in Graham County.