PROPOSITION 1 APPROVAL SECURES NEW ERA OF STABILITY FOR TSTC
by Daniel Perry, Communication Specialist, Texas State Technical College
The Texas State Technical College (TSTC) System received a powerful vote of confidence during November’s general election as more than two million Texas voters approved Proposition 1. This milestone accentuates the statewide recognition of TSTC’s proven impact on the state’s economy and workforce. In the past decade, TSTC has graduated more than 33,600 students, supplying industry partners with skilled, job- ready talent. With a 94% placement rate across its programs, the college continues to demonstrate a strong return on investment for students, employers, and the state. It reinforces why Texans overwhelmingly supported continued growth and funding for the system. “We have never had a reliable source of capital funding,” said Joe Arnold, TSTC’s deputy vice chancellor for Government Relations. “As a state agency, we cannot levy taxes, so we do not have the tools that school districts and community colleges have to raise money for capital funds.” The proposition creates two pools of money: an $850 million Technical Institutional Infrastructure
Fund (TIIF) managed by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, with its interest going into the Available Workforce Education Fund that only TSTC’s Board of Regents can seek to draw down from. The first interest from the endowment is not expected until early 2027, with disbursements expected each year afterward. The funding will be for all of TSTC’s 11 campuses. “The ability to plan is a game changer for us,” said Beth Wooten, provost of TSTC’s Waco campus. “With this opportunity, we can finally prioritize long-deferred maintenance projects that will modernize our existing facilities while also strategically preparing for new buildings. All of this positions us to grow by increasing capacity and placing more Texans in high-paying jobs.” When voters approved the measure, it signaled that TSTC could move forward with greater certainty, accelerating future planning. The decision strengthens the college’s ability to respond quickly to industry needs, ensuring Texas employers continue to have access to a steady pipeline of highly trained graduates. Richard A. “Tony” Bennett, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Manufacturers, said the college’s growth had been hindered with no access to property tax money and by the need to go to the state legislature each session to secure funding. Leaders of several of the state’s business
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