Changing Lives

Creating Jobs

Providing Hope

Asheville-Buncombe

Technical Community College

A-B Tech is here when you need us.

A-B Tech is About

Affordability• $56.50percredithour

Access-ability• ThreesitesinBuncombeandMadisonCounties

• SaturdayClasses

• 16-,8-,and4-weekclasses

• OnlineandHybridClasses

Transferability• Programsandcoursesthattransfertofour-yearcollegesanduniversities

Employability• Degreesthatleadtogood-payingjobsinfieldswithhighdemand

Approachability• Smallerclasseswithindividualizedattention

Theabilitytotrainourworkforce• TheworkforceofBuncombeandMadisoncountiesrepresentsmorethan1.5millioncredithoursofA-BTechtraining.

• Morethan80%ofA-BTech’sgraduatesstayintheregionafterleavingtheCollege.

One in three residents of Buncombe and Madison counties has taken a class offered by A-B Tech.

A-B Tech has the largest enrollment of any institution of higher education in Western North Carolina.

Ability

”Community colleges are the unsung heroes of our education system. They prepare today’s workers for tomorrow’s careers, and they get little support and even less recognition for their efforts. For millions of Americans, the local community college is the gateway to the American Dream.” – Melinda Gates

¾ Questions & Answers

1. What will the tax mean for our community?Jobs.ThetoppriorityinA-BTech’snewmasterplanisa$55millionhealthandworkforcedevelopmentbuildingthatwillallowustotrainmoreemployeesforoneofourcommunity’slargestemploymentsectors,healthcare,whichaccountsfor25percentofourservicesectorjobs.

2. How much will it add to my taxes?Ona$100purchasesubjecttothetax,aquarter-centincreasetranslatestoanadditional25cents.Thesalestaxrateiscurrently7.75centsper$1,butitisexpectedtofallto6.75centsinJulywhenatemporary1-centsalestaxenactedlastyearexpires.Ifthetemporarytaxexpiresandthequarter-centincreasepasses,thenewratewouldbe7centsper$1,lessthanthecurrentrateof7.75cents.

3. Are residents of Buncombe County the only ones who will pay the tax?No.TheAshevilleAreaChamberofCommerceestimatesone-thirdofthecounty’ssalestaxescomesfromtourismspending.Thatmeanstourists,notresidentsofBuncombeCounty,willfinanceabout33percentoftheconstructionprojectsfortheCollegeifthetaxisapproved.

4. Why doesn’t A-B Tech use the money it receives from the NC Education Lottery instead of raising taxes?A-BTechdoesnotreceivefundingfromtheEducationLottery.LotteryproceedsaredesignatedbylawfortheMoreatFourpre-kindergartenprogramthatservesat-riskfour-year-olds,reducingclasssizeingradesk-3,constructionofk-12publicschoolsandneed-basedcollegescholarships.

5. Why doesn’t the College raise tuition to cover its construction and renovation costs?A-BTechdoesnothavetheauthoritytoraisetuition.TheNorthCarolinaGeneralAssemblysetstherateforallcommunitycollegesinthestate.Collegesarenotallowedtokeepthetuitiontheycollect. ThatmoneyisforwardedtotheStateofNorthCarolina.Fundsfor instructionandstaffarebaseduponaformulathattheState appliestoallcommunitycolleges. 

6. Will the tax increase be permanent?Theincreaseisnotpermanent,andisexpectedtosunsetin20-25years.

A-B Tech delivers for today’s and tomorrow’s jobs

• Closeto80percentoffirefighters,lawenforcementofficers,andEMTsarecredentialedatcommunitycolleges.

• 20percentto40percentofthenation’steachersbegantheireducationatcommunitycolleges.

• 44percentofstudentswhoreceivebaccalaureatesormaster’sdegreesinSTEM(science,technology,engineering,mathematics)fieldsattendedacommunitycollegeatsomepointintheircareers.

• 52percentofnewnursesandthemajorityofothernewhealth-careworkersareeducatedatcommunitycolleges.

A-B Tech offers• Inthepastthreeyears,WorkforceDevelopmentandCustomizedTrainingserved122companies.

• Duringthatsameperiod,morethan$350,000wasspentoncustomizedtraining.

Quarter-cent sales tax referendum

Training

Skills

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College 340 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801Equal Opportunity Educational Institution 828-254-1921 | abtech.edu

To House Existing Programs and Allow for Expansion

Surgical TechnologyPhlebotomyVeterinary Medical TechnologyMedical Laboratory TechnologyExpansion of Associate Degree Nursing ProgramSimulation ClinicWorkforce Development ProgramBasic Skills Program

To Provide Space for Potential New Programs

Pharmacology TechCentral Supply TechnicianPhysical Therapy AssistantOccupational TechnicianOpthalmology AssistantOccupational Health and Safety Technician

Proposed New Allied Health and Workforce Development Building

Health care accounts for 25 percent of our community’s service sector jobs.

Invest in yourself by investing

in your community’s college.