HFCC: Passage Of Millage Proposal Critical To School Moving Forward

DEARBORN (WWJ) - The stakes are high for Henry Ford Community College -- as it awaits the fate of a pair of bond requests.

The school says if they fail they'll have to make significant cuts or in a worse case, may have to close reports WWJ's Ron Dewey.

HFCC student Alex Nowacki of Wyandotte who is studying to be an engineer says that his studies would be interrupted if the college were to close.

"Community college is a lot cheaper and I feel like it does help me," he said. "I feel like I get more 'hands on' experience here than I do at university."

But like other students Nowacki says if HFCC closed he would head to another community college.

"I learned my trade here, this is more than a destination, this is symbolic of a lot of life in this community - it would be terrible," said Keith Duncan a graduate of the school.

Declines in enrollment, state aid, and property tax revenue have left the college with over $16 million in debt and makes the vote on the millage appear to be a make or brake situation for the school.

Millage Renewal Proposal (From HFCC)

This millage proposal is asking for a 3 mill renewal/continuation for 10 years that will begin in 2015. This proposal combines an existing 2.5, ten-year mill and a .5, five-year mill, both of which are due to expire in 2014.

Millage Increase Proposal

In addition to the renewal, this millage proposal is asking for a 1 mill increase, for five years, which will begin in 2014.