Slashing MCCC's Budget = Cutting Education for Some

Students shared stories of how Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) is making a difference in their lives and asked county commissioners during a not to cut MCCC’s funding by the proposed 22 percent.

At that rate, increases would amount to $132 a semester for a full-time student carrying 12 credits.

The potential tuition hikes stem from a in the county's 2012 budget. Without proposed cuts to the college, as well as other county-funded programs like the library, taxes would need to be raised $130 per homeowner.

County commissioners, minus who was not present after being charged with perjury, on Wednesday listened to nearly 60 residents in a Montgomery County Courtroom and overflow room as they lobbied against cuts to MCCC, the county library system, Elmwood Park Zoo, and county parks department.

Fifty students, instructors, staff members and administrators petitioned county commissioners not to cut $2.5 million in funding to the college. Such a cut would drop funding to the 2007-2008 level, with 24 percent more students attending MCCC now, said Thomas Freitag, vice president of finance and administration. He told commissioners not to balance the budget on the “backs of the students.”

William Reynolds, 27, an aspiring park ranger or juvenile probation officer, told commissioners he grew up in Pottstown’s epicenter of crime and poverty, and that he is the first person in his family to attend college. “I’m trying to get out of poverty,” he said.

The criminal justice major told Patch, “I did petty theft when I was young. If I did not have the opportunity to go to Montco, I would probably be involved in something illegal.” Reynolds said maintaining MCCC’s funding would offer a better return than “paying $40,000 year to house just one inmate.”

“Cuts at the college are short-sighted,” Reynolds said. “I have financial aid, but would not be able to pay for books and other school-related things.”

Reynolds told commissioners, “MCCC is the backbone of Montgomery County and surrounding counties.” Reynolds said MCCC club members volunteered 15,000 hours for county agencies during the 2010-11 school year. If the county had done this work, it would have cost $250,000, he said.

Alana Mauger, the college's spokeswoman, said 98 percent of MCCC students work in Pennsylvania following graduation and 80 percent work in Montgomery County.

Ben Litman, who worked on incoming commissioner Josh Shapiro's said he was "against cuts.”

After Litman finished speaking, Commissioner Bruce Castor who ran against Shapiro in November, asked Litman to return to the podium. Castor said, “We never pledged we wouldn’t raise taxes, which is all the rage in Montgomery County…There would be no chance these cuts could be restored.”

Litman responded he was “trying to protect [students] from severe budget cuts” since he has had trouble accessing education since he was young due to disabilities.

Maureen Rafferty, 27, of Lansdale, also attended the hearing to support those who spoke.

“I never wanted to go to college, but then I realized I needed an education. Montco was my only choice," Rafferty told Patch. "I didn’t have the grades or the money to go to a four-year school. Since I started the dance major … it’s the greatest thing.”

Rafferty, who has only one more class, said she is concerned for others regarding budget cuts. "I almost couldn’t afford it," she said. "A friend helped me pay for it.” One three-credit class is $375, she said.

Student Government Association President Christine Chiodo of Glenside handed commissioners a bag filled with 1,700 cards from students, alumni, staff and faculty asking commissioners to keep funding at current levels.

Commissioners will vote on the budget Dec. 21.