Mid-America Technology Center (MATC) is asking voters in its district to approve a 3 mill increase to its building fund in an special election to be held August 12. The proposed increase would raise MATC’s millage rate from the current 1 mill to 4 mills—just one shy of the 5-mill maximum allowed by law.
District leaders say the additional funds would allow them to answer the growing demand for career and technical education programs in this region by building a second campus in the northern portion of the district between Blanchard and Newcastle.
According to information on MATC’s website pertaining to the millage increase, the district currently has just over 1,100 full-time students enrolled for the fall semester, with nearly that many on a waiting list for full-time programs. Half of those enrolled are students returning to complete their second year of a two-year program, while the other half are new enrollments.
MATC Superintendent Mike Eubank emphasized the importance of investing in training that directly supports Oklahoma’s work- force.
“We want to be able to say ‘yes’ to every student who’s ready to pursue a skilled trade, earn credentials, and enter high-paying local careers,” Eubank said. “Right now, limited space and resources force us to turn students away. This building fund increase would change that.”
The MATC District, which includes all of Garvin and McClain counties, as well as parts of Cleveland, Grady, Murray, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie and Stephens counties, currently serves 18 schools. The four largest and fastest growing schools are more than 30 miles from the current campus at Wayne, according to MATC. Adding a second campus in northern McClain County, will better serve students in that area, while also freeing up seats at the current Wayne campus, allowing the technology center to also better serve schools and communities in the central and southern areas of the district, according to MATC leadership.
The district has recently finished a major investment in the Wayne campus and will continue to update and upgrade facilities there, according to its website.
If approved, the millage increase will increase property taxes in the district. The expected impact to property owners will be a $33 per year increase for every $100,000 of assessed value (not market value), according to information put out by MATC.
With those figures, a $200,000 property would see an increase of approximately $66 per year; a $500,000 property would increase by $165 per year; and a $2,000,000 property would increase by $660 per year.
According to McClain County Assessor Elizabeth Patrick, property taxes are calculated using the assessed value of a property, typically 11% of market value, regardless of whether the land is rural or agricultural. With the proposed increase, the effective rate would shift from 0.1% to 0.4%, significantly boosting available funding for campus needs.
A millage increase is different than a bond, which MATC says has a set term and a much higher tax.
“It has been the practice of Mid-America Technology Center and the majority of technology centers statewide not to use a bond as a revenue tool. As a practice, tech centers do not want to compete for the same dollars as our K12 partners. This would also impact the bonding capacity of our partner schools, limiting their revenue growth opportunities,” according to MATC’s website.
If approved, the millage increase would be permanent until put out for vote again.
For more information, there is a “Millage Increase Vote Frequently Asked Questions” document posted on the MATC website, matech.com, as well as an email for submitting additional questions.
All registered voters in the MATC District are eligible to vote in the Aug. 12 special election. The voter registration deadline is Friday, July 18, and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is Monday, July 28.
