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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Those selfies could be used against you in court ... Medford police: Man killed in shooting on Iowa Street ... Three Democrats, two Republicans vie for Oregon secretary of state job ... Those selfies could be used against you in court ... Medford police: Man killed in shooting on Iowa Street ... Three Democrats, two Republicans vie for Oregon secretary of state job ... OUR VIEW Our View: RCC measure would boost our economy Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Apr. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Rogue Community College graduated its first class of physical therapy assistants last June. Space was limited, so it consisted of only eight students. All eight students promptly had multiple offers for well-paying jobs. That is the tip of the iceberg of what RCC could mean for local workers, local employers and the local economy. "Could mean" that is, if it has the resources to respond to the demand for training skilled workers in technology and health-care fields. Those resources could be partly provided by the approval of an inexpensive bond measure request on the May 17 ballot. For only 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, RCC can raise $20 million and get a bonus $8 million in a matching grant from the state of Oregon. If you're doing the math, that amounts to $10 per year for a home assessed at $200,000 (and remember, the assessed value of your home is less than the market value). Measure 17-69, which is on the ballot in both Jackson and Josephine counties, is targeted at creating the facilities needed for teaching employment skills in very specific areas. Both counties would ramp up courses in health care fields — nursing, dental and medical assistants and nursing aids, to name a few. Jackson County would also see an increased opportunity in high tech training that would teach skills related to everything from software programming to electronics and mechanical systems. RCC's push is not limited to those emerging fields — more opportunities would also be created for students in areas such as welding, auto work and emergency services. There's an unmistakable theme in the school's proposal: jobs. The courses are preparing students for fields where there is a high demand — and in many cases an unfilled demand. Local health care providers already have hundreds of unfilled jobs because there simply are not enough trained people to take on that work. Those jobs are not only available, but supply and demand means they will pay well as various providers compete for trained employees. If you're thinking it's not likely you would move into one of those jobs, there's still something in this proposal for you: a healthier economy. Graduates who are hired into these professions will buy cars, buy houses, buy furniture, dine out and generally participate in the economy in ways that previously would not have been available to them. That rising tide will carry many ships up with it. The cherry on this deal is the state's offer of an $8 million matching grant. That total will come only if RCC can produce $8 million of its own, a goal not likely to be reached through traditional fundraising. That $8 million, combined with the $20 million from the bond, would allow RCC to expand and upgrade its facilities — particularly its hands-on labs — and create opportunities for hundreds of additional students every year. That also will mean a short-term burst of construction locally and, yes, more jobs. This is a measure that makes sense whether you're a fiscal conservative or a free-spending liberal. It's inexpensive, it will create jobs, it will create opportunity and it will boost the economy in two counties. Do yourself, and all of us, a favor, and vote yes on Measure 17-69. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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