POUGHKEEPSIE – Students at Dutchess Community College will pay $160 more year, beginning in September, under a budget given final approval by the County Legislature Monday night.
A small handful of residents spoke during the public hearing, including
Yvonne Flowers, who said the college provided her with a turning point.
“And I’ve noticed some young people who have came to Dutchess who are going through destructive paths where it seemed like they were destined to either prison or even death,” Flowers said. “And coming to Dutchess, they’ve got that support and that knowledge to help them to navigate on how to be a better person and be productive in our community.”
The 18 to 6 vote came after some debate that focused in large part on how Dutchess compares with other area counties.
Democrat Joel Tyner noted that the county has, in his words, a “massive” fund balance.
“Rockland Community College, 33 percent comes from the county; Ulster Community College, just across the river, 31.4 percent of the community college funding comes from the county,” Tyner said. “Here in Dutchess County, and we’ve been this way for many, many years, we’re at the bottom of the barrel … bottom of the barrel … only 23.1 percent of community college comes from the county.”
Tyner said the county is “swimming in money.” He was among the ‘no’ votes, as was Republican Michael Kelsey, who said the college is also “swimming in money” and should have contributed more.
Democrat Minority Leader Barbara Jeter-Jackson said there was good compromise with the college trustees on the budget.
“We were presented with the budget from the trustees at the college and did ask if they would go back and reconsider some changes that had been presented to us. That was done.”
Jeter-Jackson, who voted with the majority, said this is the highest level of cooperation between the legislature and the college that she can remember.
Republican James Miccio said even with the $160 a year tuition hike, Dutchess Community College remains a good buy. He noted that at roughly $2,300 for an academic year, Dutchess is considerably lower than the $5,400 tuition in neighboring Sullivan County.
