Lives Jobs Hope

Changing Lives Asheville-Buncombe

Creating Jobs Technical Community College

Providing Hope

. s u d e e n u o y n e h w A-B Tech is here

A-B Tech is About

Ability

Affordability • $56.50 per credit hour

Access-ability • Three sites in Buncombe and Madison Counties • Saturday Classes • 16-, 8-, and 4-week classes

A-B Tech has the largest enrollment of any institution of higher education in Western North Carolina.

• Online and Hybrid Classes

Transferability • Programs and courses that transfer to fouryear colleges and universities

Employability • Degrees that lead to good-paying jobs in fields with high demand

Approachability • Smaller classes with individualized attention

The ability to train our workforce • The workforce of Buncombe and Madison counties represents more than 1.5 million credit hours of A-B Tech training.

• More than 80% of A-B Tech’s graduates stay in the region after leaving the College.

One in three residents of Buncombe and Madison counties has taken a class offered by A-B Tech.

”Community colleges are the unsung heroes of our education system. They prepare today’s workers for tomorrow’s careers, and they get little support and even less recognition for their efforts. For millions of Americans, the local community college is the gateway to the American Dream.”

– Melinda Gates

A-B Tech delivers

Skills

for today’s and tomorrow’s jobs • Close to 80 percent of firefighters, law enforcement officers, and EMTs are credentialed at community colleges.

• 20 percent to 40 percent of the nation’s teachers began their education at community colleges.

• 44 percent of students who receive baccalaureates or master’s degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields attended a community college at some point in their careers.

• 52 percent of new nurses and the majority of other new health-care workers are educated at community colleges.

A-B Tech offers

Training

• In the past three years, Workforce Development and Customized Training served 122 companies.

• During that same period, more than $350,000 was spent on customized training.

Quarter-cent sales tax referendum ¾¾ Questions & Answers 1. What will the tax mean for our community?

Jobs. The top priority in A-B Tech’s new master plan is a $55 million health and workforce development building that will allow us to train more employees for one of our community’s largest employment sectors, health care, which accounts for 25 percent of our service sector jobs.

2. How much will it add to my taxes?

On a $100 purchase subject to the tax, a quarter-cent increase translates to an additional 25 cents. The sales tax rate is currently 7.75 cents per $1, but it is expected to fall to 6.75 cents in July when a temporary 1-cent sales tax enacted last year expires. If the temporary tax expires and the quarter-cent increase passes, the new rate would be 7 cents per $1, less than the current rate of 7.75 cents.

3. Are residents of Buncombe County the only ones who will pay the tax?

No. The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce estimates one-third of the county’s sales taxes comes from tourism spending. That means tourists, not residents of Buncombe County, will finance about 33 percent of the construction projects for the College if the tax is approved.

4. Why doesn’t A-B Tech use the money it receives from the NC Education Lottery instead of raising taxes?

A-B Tech does not receive funding from the Education Lottery. Lottery proceeds are designated by law for the More at Four pre-kindergarten program that serves at-risk four-year-olds, reducing class size in grades k-3, construction of k-12 public schools and need-based college scholarships.

5. Why doesn’t the College raise tuition to cover its construction and renovation costs?

A-B Tech does not have the authority to raise tuition.

The North Carolina General Assembly sets the rate for all community colleges in the state. Colleges are not allowed to keep the tuition they collect. That money is forwarded to the State of North Carolina. Funds for instruction and staff are based upon a formula that the State applies to all community colleges.

6. Will the tax increase be permanent?

The increase is not permanent, and is expected to sunset in 20-25 years.

Proposed New

Allied Health and Workforce Development Building

To House Existing Programs and Allow for Expansion Surgical Technology Phlebotomy Veterinary Medical Technology Medical Laboratory Technology Expansion of Associate Degree Nursing Program Simulation Clinic Workforce Development Program Basic Skills Program

To Provide Space for Potential New Programs Pharmacology Tech Central Supply Technician Physical Therapy Assistant Occupational Technician Opthalmology Assistant Occupational Health and Safety Technician

Health care accounts for 25 percent of our community’s service sector jobs.

g n i t s e v n i y b f l e s r u o y Invest inr community’s college. in you Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Equal Opportunity Educational Institution

340 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801 828-254-1921 | abtech.edu