As the dust settles on this year's 4/20 celebrations, Arizona's community colleges are yet again seeing green, but not just from the spring foliage. A cool $31 million in tax revenue from cannabis sales is making its way into the state's educational system, as confirmed by Ganjapreneur. This figure mirrors the funds set aside by Governor Doug Ducey for workforce accelerators, aligning with the state's investment in the future labor force.
Despite the initial high tide of marijuana sales starting to recede, the industry continues to sustainably fund higher education in the state. According to a report by ABC15, about a third of the tax revenue from recreational marijuana, which comes up to approximately $28 million last fiscal year, was allocated to Maricopa Community Colleges for workforce development programs. These funds are helping to expand these colleges' reach into in-demand fields like nursing, IT, and education.
Maricopa Community Colleges, the behemoth of Arizona's educational scene, told Ganjapreneur they've been granted more than $17 million from cannabis tax revenue. They plan to utilize these resources for workforce programs and could potentially allocate an additional $5 million to cover expenses in STEM and related fields due to budget shortfalls. Representative Lindsey Wilson emphasized the importance of this funding for their services, noting that they serve more than every college and university in Arizona combined.
Pima Community College is set to receive $3.9 million, according to Libby Howell in a statement obtained by Ganjapreneur, and intends to use the funds to expand and remodel health professions spaces and science labs. In the northwestern part of the state, Mohave Community College, buoyed by an infusion of $1.1 million, plans to construct an advanced manufacturing training center at the Kingman Airport Industrial Park, which may also expand to additional career and technical education projects.
The narrative extends beyond these big players. Smaller institutions like Cochise College and Arizona Western College, receiving over $2 million and $1.7 million, respectively, are channeling the tax dollars into expanding their programs, including extensive additions to first responders' training facilities and improvements to cybersecurity and health fields. Moreover, Eastern Arizona College is looking to employ its $1 million share to build a skills center that caters to workforce development for local, in-demand careers, as Kris McBride told Ganjapreneur.
