By Shawna Donnell
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

With record voter turnout, the San Jacinto College annexation was soundly defeated during an election held Sept. 14. The final vote was tallied at 8,921 against and 410 for the annexation.

"[San Jacinto College] was wasting money on an effort that was doomed to fail," said Wade Webster, current UH-Clear Lake student, retired engineer and 38-year resident of Clear Lake.

During a town hall meeting Sept. 5 at UH-Clear Lake's Bayou Theater, Clear Lake residents voiced their concerns about the new tax proposed by San Jacinto College.

The tax was intended to provide funding for the community college to extend district lines and build a new facility in Clear Lake. State Rep. John E. Davis hosted the meeting to provide a forum for Clear Lake citizens, as well as San Jacinto College, to discuss the possible tax increase.

Dave Norman, a Bay Area insurance salesman, led the panel of those opposed to the annexation.

"It's not about education, it's about taxation," Norman said. "We are a nation at war. Is this really the right time for expansion?"

Shelly Sekula-Gibbs, a member of the panel and Houston City Council at Large, is pleased with the results of the election because she felt the timing was bad. She said the idea of annexation is not bad, but it should be revisited at a time when the Clear Creek Independent School District is not facing lay-offs and cutbacks.

"Many people are not wanting to pay for something they're not getting anything from," Webster said. "The annexation was a foolish attempt to have the tax payers fund an unnecessary expansion."

Webster also said there are four community college campuses within at least 10 miles of Clear Lake; a new campus is not an important issue right now.

Those who supported San Jacinto's annexation continue to stress the importance of having a total education system located in Clear Lake. John Martinec, spokesman for Friends of San Jacinto College, said adding a San Jacinto campus and extending the district boundaries would serve, somewhat, as a training facility for the local aerospace industry.

Another issue addressed at the meeting was the sign at the corner of Middlebrook and Bay Area that reads, "Future Home of San Jacinto College." Area citizens have been under the impression that plans for a new building are already underway.

Roy Waldrop, a representative from San Jacinto College, said the land was bought more than two years ago with the intent of building a new facility on it; however, construction would not commence until 2005.

Nevertheless, without the approval for tax money, the construction cannot take place.

"There has been no discussion about plans for the property or the sign," said Tuesday Stanley, director of marketing for San Jacinto College. "This topic is on the agenda for our board retreat which is coming up."

According to the Office of Enrollment Services at UH-Clear Lake, more than 50 percent of the student body previously attended San Jacinto College. The annexation could have meant huge growth for both San Jacinto and UH-Clear Lake's student body, Waldrop said.

Because the annexation is no longer in the future, students who live in Clear Lake will continue to pay non-district tuition.

Currently students who live outside of the San Jacinto district pay $18 more a semester hour than students who live in the district.

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