Measure A: Mendocino College Career Training/ Affordable Education.

On February 11th, the  Mendocino-Lake Community College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to place Measure A, the Mendocino College Career Training/ Affordable Education Measure, on the June 2, 2026 ballot for voter consideration.

If approved by Mendocino College District voters, the measure would authorize the issuance of bonds of the District to raise funds for basic repairs on deteriorating educational facilities and provide updated classroom and lab training facilities for the skilled trade and emergency responder careers on which our communities rely. 

 

Text of Measure A

Measure A was placed on the ballot for voter consideration following half a year of community outreach and feedback from residents, local small business owners, public safety and public health advocates, inclusive of a blue-ribbon College Presidents’ roundtable who studied the colleges’ finances, education and job training needs, and recommended actions to the board to address them, including unanimously recommending placing a measure on the ballot for voters to consider.

Feedback showed that residents, high school students, families, and veterans strongly value the affordability that Mendocino College provides, at a time when local public schools are six times more expensive. Our local college allows students to get job training or college credits without amassing significant debt, a lifeline in times where affordability is largely in crisis.

In particular, there was significant feedback that the community at large, including local small business leaders and local hospital and firefighting professionals, valued the job training career pathways offered by the College, as Mendocino College is the primary training facility for local nurses, firefighters, and other first responders, as well as providing skilled tradespeople for the community.

Additionally, community oversight,  public disclosure of all spending, and independent annual financial and performance audits are required by law. All funds will be used for our local community colleges and cannot be taken by county, state or federal governments.

We invite you to participate in the June 2, 2026 election, which will include this measure.

Please read our FAQ for more information. If you would like a member of the college to attend your next community meeting and discuss the Measure A, please reach out via kkeyes@mendocino.edu.

Strict Fiscal Accountability and Local Control

  • Any potential school bond measures would include strict fiscal accountability protections to ensure responsible management of funds, including:
  • A Citizens' Oversight Committee and independent audits to ensure funds are spent as promised
  • Required public disclosure of all spending

Planning for the Future of Affordable Education and Local Careers

  1. FAQs
  2. Community Update and Documents

Q: What is Measure A?

A: On February 11th, after hearing from residents, students, public safety, and local business leaders, the Mendocino-Lake Community College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to place Measure A – “the Mendocino College Career Training/ Affordable Education Measure “—on the June 2nd ballot for voters to consider.

If approved by voters, Measure A will expand access to affordable career training and help students earn the credits they need to start a good -paying job or to transfer to a four-year college, without taking on significant student loan debt.

Q: Why was Measure A placed on the ballot?

A: California State Universities cost about six times more than Mendocino College. Not every student wants — or can afford — a four-year school.

Measure A was placed on the ballot so local voters can decide whether to repair and upgrade career and job training program facilities, many of which are over 40 years old, are deteriorating, and do not have the space required for current program needs. These repairs and upgrades will help even more local students gain real-world skills for good-paying jobs — without taking on thousands of dollars in student loan debt.

Q: Who does Mendocino College serve?
A: Mendocino College serves nearly 120,000 residents and thousands of businesses across a region that is over 3,200 square miles. With campuses in Ukiah, Lakeport, Willits, and Fort Bragg, we provide affordable higher education, whether students are pursuing career training or transferring to a four-year university, while meeting our region’s fire safety, healthcare, EMT, and skilled trades workforce needs.

Q: Why is Mendocino College important to the community?
A: We save local families thousands of dollars by offering an affordable alternative to costly four-year universities. Our programs give students real-world skills, provide college credits for high schoolers, and pathways to good-paying local jobs, or transfer opportunities to 4-year universities, without crushing debt.

Q: How could Measure A help our local 911 emergency response and career technical needs?

A: Good-paying jobs require specialized training. Local students and workers need strong education and hands-on job programs to succeed in today’s changing economy.

At the same time, we face a serious shortage of nurses, EMTs, and firefighters, especially in rural areas.

Measure A would help classrooms and labs stay safe and up to date. By repairing deteriorating specialized classrooms and outdated labs, it supports training for healthcare workers, emergency responders, and skilled trades workers so students can get good-paying jobs and serve our community after their training is complete.

Q: Was the community consulted on needs prior to the placement of Measure A? 
A: Yes. For over half a year, Mendocino College engaged with local residents, students, safety professionals and local business leaders to identify priority needs for affordable quality education and career training needs throughout the district.  If enacted, Measure A would generate local funding to address the top priorities identified by your neighbors, including: 

  • Strong fiscal stewardship and transparency
  • Maintaining clean drinking water
  • Repairing leaky roofs
  • Removing any mold, asbestos, or lead paint
  • Providing classrooms for programs training wildland firefighters and Firefighter Academy
  • Repairing labs and classrooms to train nurses, physical therapy assistants, and Emergency Medical Technicians
  • Ensuring schools are accessible for people with disabilities

Q: How much would this cost property owners in our district?

A: If enacted, Measure A would generate $98,000,000 in bonds, the cost to property owners would be $24 annually per $100,000 of assessed (not market) valuation (raising $6,1000,000) annually) while the bonds are outstanding. 

For example, a property with an assessed valuation of $250,000 would be $60 a year; assessed valuation of $300,000 would be $72 a year. 

Measure A includes a legally binding project list, and accountability requirements required by law, including independent citizen oversight, annual independent financial audits, and public disclosure of all expenditures by to ensure that funds are spent efficiently, effectively and as approved by voters.

Q: How can I participate in the June 2, 2026 election?       

A: Measure A will appear on the June 2, 2026 ballot. For information on voter registration, please visit the Mendocino County Department of Elections or the Lake County Department of Elections.

Q: What will happen if Measure A is not enacted?

A: If the Measure is not passed,  Mendocino College would not be able to complete many of the projects that have been identified. Career training facilities would not be repaired or upgraded, and the college will prioritize what basic repairs it can afford. Additional partnerships with local hospitals to assist with emergency responder and nurse training will be put on indefinite hold.  Our district wouldn't have voted to place the Measure on the ballot if the funds were available to make the identified project improvements. If the Measure is not passed, the Mendocino College would not be able to complete many of the projects that have been identified.

Q: How were facilities projects identified?

A: The College community completed a Facilities Master Plan 2025-2035 in 2025 that identified a list of potential projects. The decision as to which projects will be completed with bond funds from the master plan will be determined through the district facilities processes.

Q: How does Mendocino College help address the healthcare crisis?
A: Rural communities like ours face severe shortages of nurses, EMTs, and firefighters. To meet this need, we must modernize aging classrooms and labs, especially in our Fort Bragg and Willits campuses, so that even more students can train locally and stay to serve our communities. Partnerships Adventist, Sutter, Mendocino Community Health Clinic, and other hospitals will train first responders and nurses, stretching taxpayer dollars further while training our community to save lives.

Q: What about jobs outside healthcare?
A: Our Willits campus will train students in firefighting, solar installation, and sustainable construction, and fields that are vital to our community. We plan to expand these programs to prepare more workers for good-paying careers in renewable energy, construction, and fire/public safety.

Q: Doesn’t Mendocino College repair its facilities?
A: Yes, but many buildings are more than 40 years old and were not constructed to provide career technical education and job training. They need upgrades to meet today’s safety, accessibility, and technology standards, and provide specialized labs needed for today’s nursing, firefighting, and emergency response training.

Q: What is the Measure A Ballot Question?

A: “Mendocino College Career Training/ Affordable Education Measure. To repair classrooms/ labs, leaky roofs, electrical; maintain clean drinking water, remove mold, asbestos, lead paint; to train students for careers in trades, construction, wildland firefighting, healthcare/ nursing/ EMT; construct, acquire, repair facilities/ sites/ equipment; shall Mendocino Lake Community College District’s measure authorizing $98,000,000 in bonds at legal rates be adopted, levying $24 per $100,000 of assessed valuation ($6,100,000 annually, while bonds are outstanding) with public spending disclosure, oversight, audits, no state takeaways