Leaders of Oregon community colleges told the Joint Capital Construction Committee on May 2 that the governor's recommended budget includes three new Article 11‑G projects totaling $20,000,000 in state funds matched by approximately $60,600,000 in local funds. The presenters also urged the committee to revisit the statutory $8,000,000 cap on state funding per community college project, which witnesses said has not kept pace with inflation.

John Wyckoff, deputy director of the Oregon Community College Association, described the community colleges' collaborative ranking process and noted statutory limits: "Since 2007, community college projects have been capped at $8,000,000 that is the maximum that a project can receive from the state, then also is matched at the local level. If you were just to match for CPI inflation, that number would be about $15,000,000 today," Wyckoff told the committee.

Individual college presentations highlighted local support and project aims. Tim Cook, president of Clackamas Community College, said a recent $120,000,000 local bond vote enabled the college to pair state funds with local investment for a new Center for Excellence for Farming, Horticulture and Wildland Fire training. Roberto Gutierrez, president of Klamath Community College, described a request to replace a non‑compliant 90‑year‑old building the college had acquired from a for‑profit provider and said Klamath already had the local match in hand. Mount Hood Community College President Lisa Scarry outlined plans to modernize 50‑year‑old classrooms and labs, noting the request would be matched by local donations and a local bond on the ballot.

Why it matters: Article 11‑G projects for community colleges are matched dollar‑for‑dollar by local funds and have statutory constraints on frequency and maximum project size. Colleges said those limits affect local planning and may hamper the ability to modernize aging 1960s–70s campus infrastructures.

What was not decided: The committee accepted testimony; no formal votes occurred at the hearing. Witnesses offered to follow up with project specifics and documentation.

Ending note: Community college leaders asked the committee to consider legislative adjustments to the $8,000,000 cap as part of broader capital funding deliberations.