Seth Root/The Broadside

State Representative Jack Zika (R-Redmond) has announced that he and his colleagues at the State Capital have secured funding for Central Oregon Community College’s future expansion of the Redmond campus.

“Yesterday, my colleagues and I were successful in bringing funds back to Central Oregon through allocating over $8 million to Central Oregon Community College to continue improving and growing the campus, ” said Zika in a press release. “COCC is an important part of our community, providing quality education and employment to thousands of people. This project will create more jobs and provide an economic boost during these uncertain times.”

Jennifer Kovitz, the Director of Communications at COCC, said in an email that the money given to the college isn’t new funding. Instead, the $8 million in funds previously allocated to the college back in the 2019 session.

“This is not new funding for COCC. This was a preservation of previously allocated $8 million in funds that the college originally received from the Oregon legislature in 2019. It is a capital construction investment that requires the college to match it in full within six years of the award—there are now four years remaining.”

Kovitz also said that the funds intend to go towards the Redmond campus expansion project, but they must match the funds first.