10/22/2009 - Bend

by Matt McDonald

A student rally Thursday, in support of the forty one point three million dollar COCC bond on the November ballot in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties.

"The bottom line is it's less than two dollars a month for the average homeowner in Central Oregon," said Terry Link, Budget Coordinator for the Associated Students of COCC.

"I don't have two dollars. Right now as I sit and speak, I don't have a dime on me," said Susan Doyal, a Bend resident in opposition to the bond.

Susan Doyal, formerly in real estate is out of work and out of money. She says the timing is not right. Crook county has the highest unemployment rate in the state, just under twenty percent. Deschutes and Jefferson counties not far behind at almost sixteen percent. Still supporters say the time is now, voters getting more bang for their buck. If the bond passes, the state will add eleven and a half million dollars.

"That is, in that perspective a good deal. However, do we really need it?" said Doyal.

"It's going to produce over $53 million in new construction. That's not projects or programs its actual buildings," said Link.

If the bond passes new Health Career and Sciences buildings will go up on the Bend campus.
A Technology Center for Redmond and a campus addition for Madras and Prineville. Creating what supporters view as a regional boost to retaining educated employees.

"If they have to go somewhere else for that training, the statistics show they don't tend to come back to where they left," said Link.

"These people are going to school for what jobs?" asked Doyal.

The decision will be made by a majority vote across all three counties on November third.