Vote YES on Measure CC for our Community College Students

by Gary Toebben

The nine colleges of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) are essential to meeting the workforce needs of employers in the L.A. region. That is why the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is joined by the Los Angeles Times in strongly recommending a YES vote on Measure CC.

For so many students of all ages, our community colleges are the best, and sometimes the only, options to gain the skills they need to enter or re-enter the workforce. These campuses provide a doorway to college and a better future for young men and women leaving high school. They are also a critical stepping stone for adults who need new skills to move into a second or better career. LACCD serves more than 5,000 military veterans annually, and Measure CC will upgrade and expand job training to support our veterans entering the civilian workforce.

One-third of the nine colleges were built more than 40 years ago. Many of the buildings, classrooms, and science and job training labs are outdated because the equipment is obsolete and in need of replacement. This bond will address both the urgent/basic repairs of the campuses and the classroom space and technology to train students for the future.

Major employment sectors in our region depend on community colleges for their labor force to help grow and thrive. Measure CC will improve classrooms for nursing, health IT, biotech and other technical vocational career education programs. Passing Measure CC will enable our leading industries to continue to serve as the engines of our local economy and the foundation for our quality of life.

We at the Chamber believe there is no greater commodity you can provide any individual than a job. The way to make that opportunity real for our students is to ensure they have the education and skills to achieve their goals. Join us in investing in the future of L.A. Vote YES on Measure CC.

And that's The Business Perspective.