HOLBROOK — The Navajo County Community College District Governing Board (DGB), which oversees Northland Pioneer College (NPC), adopted a preliminary 2026-2027 budget at its April 21 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 remodel and expand NPC’s Winslow campus to improve the college’s cosmetology and allied health program offerings. NPC also has funding reserved to explore potential student housing options and for potential renovations for student spaces at the Show Low, Winslow, Snowflake and Holbrook campuses. The grant funding the new Kayenta Center will continue its construction progress and is expected to be completed in summer 2027.
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 CDL licensure and broadband technician programs, and the teacher preparation program will be offering a new special education certification. 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 $382,888 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 $171.35 to $174.78. 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 2026–2027 fiscal year at the Tiponi Community Center, 2251 E. Navajo Blvd., Holbrook, Arizona, 86025, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 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=m18d14fc5a4878626a349436215cdf05d (password MAY26DGB – 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): 2634 123 4874 or join by video system: 26341234874@npc.webex.com.
After the public hearing, the governing board can decrease or accept the budget from the preliminary figures adopted on April 21. The budget data can be viewed or downloaded as a PDF from the college’s website: https://www.npc.edu/fy2027-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.
