Columbus State Community College is considering asking voters to approve a property tax levy that would allow the college to provide free tuition for new high school graduates in Franklin County while lowering tuition costs for all other residents.
The community college says it is considering asking Franklin County voters this November to approve a 10-year, 1.9-mill levy that would generate $95 million annually. It would cost a homeowner $67 per $100,000 of home value based on unofficial estimates.
The college said in a news release that equates to an extra $192 per year for the owner of a $288,000 home, which is the median home value in Franklin County.
For all Franklin County residents, the college would lower tuition by $1,000 per academic year for a full-time student taking 30 credit hours while students with more or fewer credit hours would save at proportional rates.
Columbus State President David T. Harrison said in a statement the initiative is about economic prosperity and good-paying jobs. He said it will prepare nurses, construction workers, IT professionals and people on the front line of central Ohio’s manufacturing boom, among many other fields.
“There is a direct connection between the success of Columbus State students and the well-being of central Ohio,” Harrison said. “Our graduates fill essential jobs throughout the community, and their talent is the lifeblood of economic prosperity in the region.”
Columbus State already has a free tuition program in partnership with the city of Columbus and Columbus City Schools to provide free tuition to CCS graduates. That program is called the Columbus Promise.
Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, who champions the program, celebrated the announcement in a statement Thursday.
"That means more of our children can build their lives and careers right here in central Ohio, earning credentials that lead to family-sustaining wages. It means a stronger workforce in central Ohio, so our employers can grow and compete. And it means young people's potential won't be constrained by their ZIP code or family circumstances," Hardin said.
Columbus State doesn't currently have a levy for funding, but it did pass a 2020 bond issue to raise $300 million to improve infrastructure on its campus. The college, anchored in downtown Columbus, serves 41,000 students per year.
The college's board of trustees will have to take several steps before the Aug. 5 filing deadline to formally place the issue on November's ballot with the Franklin County Board of Elections.
