STOP PAYMENTS OF LA PAZ TAX DOLLARS TO ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE YUMA

The administration of Arizona Western College in Yuma (AWCY) has been using the Taxpayers of La Paz County and their limited resources as a "CASH COW" to finance Yuma projects while ignoring the needs of the residences of La Paz County.

* Over the past six (6) years AWCY has taken over 25 million of La Paz taxpayer dollars and given less than 10 million dollars back to La Paz in the form of new facilities and services.

* At the same time AWCY is sitting on a 25 million dollar reserve account; they have refused for over three (3) years to correct any of the problems in La Paz under the guise of  “budget restraints.”

* AWCY, in order to cut construction costs, built inferior buildings in Parker and Quartzsite which put our students at an educational disadvantage as well as in physical danger and have refused for over 3 years to correct the problems.

* AWCY has ignored the educational needs of our students in the outlying areas of the county, and refused to financially support out-reach efforts by the La Paz AWC Administration for 6th through 12th grade students in Quartzsite, Salome and Wenden.  These services were similar to those offered in the Parker Unified School System.

* AWCY has repeatedly refused to allow the La Paz AWC Administration to make decisions based on what is best for the residents of La Paz County and they have systematically undermined the ability of the La Paz AWC Administration to operate in the best interest of it’s students.

WE ARE ASKING THE LA PAZ COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE THESE CHARGES AND SEEK AN INJUCTION STOPPING THE PAYMENT OF TAX DOLLARS TO ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE IN YUMA UNTIL THESE ISSUES ARE RESOLVED.  WE BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A “SET IN STONE” FORMULA USED IN DESIGNATING A PERCENTAGE OF THE LA PAZ COUNTY AWC OPPERATING BUDGET AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEES TO BE PAID TO THE ADMINISTRATION IN YUMA FOR SERVICES RENDERED.  WE BELIEVE THIS WILL DRAMATICLY REDUCE THE BURDEN ON OUR LA PAZ COUNTY TAXPAYERS AND AT THE SAME TIME INABLE US TO INCREASE SERVICES TO THE RESIDANCES OF LA PAZ COUNTY.   AWCY’s PRESENT “SYSTEM” OF TAKING ONE TO TWO (1 to 2) OUT OF EVERY THREE (3) DOLLARS COLLECTED FROM THE PROPERTY TAXPAYERS OF LA PAZ COUNTY TO FINANCE THEIR YUMA PROJECTS IS UNETHICAL, IMMORAL, AND UNACCEPTABLE.