Prop. 92 flunking out

Proposition 92 appeared headed for defeat late Tuesday night.

Besides dropping the price tag of community college fees, the proposition would have established community colleges in the state constitution, increased the state’s governing board for community colleges and limited the state’s authority to increase fees, according to the official voter information guide’s legislative analyst.

It also would have changed Proposition 98’s inclusion of community colleges into kindergarten through 14 funding and instead separate K through 12 from community colleges in terms of requirements for funding, according the voter guide.

Some individuals voting in Costa Mesa felt the measure couldn’t live up to its promises.

Shannon Dunn, of Costa Mesa, voted no on the proposition because she didn’t trust its language.

“I didn’t really think the money would actually be going to students,” she said while leaving her polling place at City Hall. “There is not enough checkups.”

The general consensus of some of the individuals who voted no or abstained from voting on the proposition at the City Hall site was they were ill-informed on the subject or felt there wasn’t enough accountability to insure the money was well spent.

Scott Lay, co-author of the proposition and president of Community College League, believes the vote was a reflection of the state’s budget problems rather than a dissent from the proposition’s ideas.

“We want to sit at the table and find a solution considering the state’s budget crisis,” Lay said. “What we are happy about is that in every article in opposition cited the under funding of community colleges. That is a political victory in and of itself.”

Ahmed Ali, the senate president of OCC’s Associated Students, expressed his disappointment in the loss. The organization had voted unanimously in favor of the proposition and donated $24,000 to its campaign.

“It is really unfortunate,” Ali said. “Community colleges as it is are not stable. [They] don’t get enough credit for all the work that they do.”

Lay, after spending three years working on Proposition 92, is concerned about a future without Proposition 92. With the governor’s budget cuts on top of 92’s loss, Lay said there is a possibility of 165,000 students who community colleges may not be able to accommodate.

“We are going to fight,” Lay said. “The dialogue has really just begun.”

Proposition 92 – With 72.2% precincts reporting:

Yes – 41.6%

No – 58.4%

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at daniel.tedford@latimes.com.