The Navajo County Community College District Governing Board (DGB), which oversees Northland Pioneer College (NPC), adopted a preliminary 2025-2026 budget at its April 15 meeting. Several key items were highlighted for the upcoming fiscal year. The initiatives emphasize the college’s commitment to helping students, employees, and the communities it serves.
The proposed budget includes funding to upgrade the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software used by NPC to manage college operations, including class offerings, registration, financial aid, student payments, and all aspects of accounting. The new software will replace an antiquated system and is anticipated to vastly improve processes at the college.
A facilities expansion will also continue at NPC’s Show Low campus. By renovating an existing building, NPC will open a welcome center to provide a forward-facing one-stop shop experience for current and prospective students. The center will house registration, advising, and financial aid services in a centralized space. Another facilities expansion is planned for the Winslow campus to improve the college’s cosmetology and allied health program offerings.
NPC is committed to bringing accessible education and practical skill development to the communities it serves. As an affordable, flexible learning hub, NPC is open to all ages, backgrounds and provides higher education to support a variety of career goals. In the coming year, NPC plans to launch a CDL licensure pathway as well as a broadband technician training program. NPC recently added three bachelor’s degree programs to the college’s offerings and developed programs in personal training and rehabilitation, behavioral health, and the administration of justice studies. By working directly with local businesses, industries, and organizations, NPC plans to continue to design programs that align with regional and national job markets, giving students real-world skills and preparing them for in-demand careers.
Under the state’s Truth in Taxation (TNT) statutes, the college district is requesting an increase in primary property taxes of $366,412 or 2 percent. According to the TNT formula, the primary property tax for an owner-occupied residence with an assessed valuation of $100,000 would increase from $171.69 to $175.12. NPC does not have a secondary tax rate to pay for any improvement bonds or budget overrides.
The assessed valuation of utilities, power plants, transmission lines, and mines is set by the state’s Department of Revenue. The Navajo County Assessor’s Office is responsible for setting the assessed valuations for local real property and buildings. These combined assessed valuations are used by various taxing jurisdictions as the basis for calculating the primary property tax levy.
The Navajo County Community College District Governing Board will conduct a Truth in Taxation and Public Budget Hearing for consideration of the proposed budget for the 2025–2026 fiscal year at the Tiponi Community Center, 2251 E. Navajo Blvd., Holbrook, Arizona, 86025, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (M.S.T.). The hearing may also be attended remotely using the link: https://npc.webex.com/npc/j.php?MTID=me1880028b1eb1d4b59d2114ef56a00d8 (password MAY25DGB – if needed), for both public viewing and comment. Additional access to the hearing is available by phone: dial-in +1-415-655-0001, meeting number (access code): 2870 482 7863 or join by video system: dial 28704827863@npc.webex.com.
After the public hearing, the governing board can decrease or accept the budget from the preliminary figures adopted on April 15. The budget data can be viewed or downloaded as a PDF from the college’s website: https://www.npc.edu/fy2026-Preliminary. Answers to many frequently asked questions are also posted on the website.
Interested citizens are encouraged to attend the Truth in Taxation and Public Budget Hearing and make comments prior to the formal adoption of the budget by the local governing board during a special meeting immediately following the public hearing.
Comments about the proposed primary tax rate or budget can be made during the meeting or submitted online at www.npc.edu/public-comment-form.
