Unpopular tax increase needed

    Not surprisingly, there has not been a great deal of support shown for last week's TCC Board of Trustees decision to increase its property tax rate. After all, who would ever choose to pay more taxes?

   The board's proposal, however, has merit greater than its price tag.

    Extra revenue generated by the tax increase will go not only to update facilities at current campuses, but also to fund the creation of a downtown Fort Worth campus.

    A central TCC campus is a facility that has been needed for quite a while. Such a location would not only raise the profile of the downtown district, but also be convenient for downtown employees who wish to continue their education.

    The campus would also be easily accessible by public transportation. Currently South Campus is the only one of the four TCC campuses located on a regularly scheduled bus route. TCC officials say they will work closely with the Fort Worth T and the Trinity Railway Express to make public transportation a part of the campus plan.

    A downtown facility, combined with TCC's low $30-per-hour tuition rate, is an opportunity to make higher education much more accessible for a wider range of people.

    Why are people complaining then?

    Because on paper, the tax increase looks huge at about 31 percent. Plus, since TCC pays for construction as it happens, rather than financing through public bonds, the decision will be made by the board rather than a public election.

    Neither point is a convincing argument against the increase. The average Tarrant County homeowner is going to pay only about $37 dollars more in taxes annually. The folks who would have trouble paying an extra $37 per year are the same who would benefit most from the opportunity a downtown campus would afford.

    And, even though voters will not be voting to approve the financing of TCC's future projects, the tax rate is subject to rollback. If enough voters disagree with the need for the tax increase, they can petition for an election to vote down the increase and 'roll back' to last year's rates.

    TCC's decision not to finance through public bonds is a wise one. It saves voters millions of dollars in interest payments by paying for repairs and construction up front.

    The tax rate has not been increased since 1998. The current increase, though it seems large, will ultimately save money.

    To gain public support, however, TCC must firm up its plans for the new campus. Current estimated cost for the project ranges from $25 million to $75 million, with no definite site for the construction.

    Critics are right when they call the proposal too vague. TCC does not know if it will expand upon its downtown office complex, the May Owen Center, or sell the building and build somewhere else in downtown.

    When the school finalizes its plans and comes up with a more accurate estimate of the new campus' cost, it will be hard not to support the proposal, especially in light of the opportunities it will offer.