DENVER — Joe Garcia, chancellor of the Colorado Community College System, said Thursday that community colleges are the state’s largest undergraduate system and are vital to Colorado’s workforce, particularly for adult learners, rural students and residents seeking career retraining.

Garcia told the Joint Budget Committee that the system serves more than 124,000 students annually and that 96% of community‑college students are Colorado residents, with more than 93% of graduates remaining in state to work. He asked the committee to consider funding to meet projected salary, benefit and operating cost increases that the November budget submission did not fully cover.

“We’re not trying to get ahead. We’re simply trying to maintain,” Garcia told the committee, arguing that the combination of state appropriations and tuition authority recommended in the governor’s November submission would cover less than half of the system’s projected increases for FY 2026.

Garcia highlighted two program areas as evidence of community colleges’ return on investment: short‑term, industry‑aligned credentials and employer‑partnered training. He cited the state’s Care Forward Colorado program, funded in prior years, as a high‑value, first‑dollar program that has produced thousands of short‑term healthcare credentials and high early employment rates for graduates.

“We deliver the workforce that our employers need,” Garcia said, adding that community colleges have geographic reach — 35 locations across the state — and operate shared services that keep costs lower than four‑year institutions.

Garcia also urged capital funding for aging rural campuses, noting that several community colleges were started early in the 20th century and are facing renewal needs. He asked the committee to prioritize capital renewal requests such as Colorado Northwestern Community College’s project in Rangely.

Why it matters: Community colleges enroll the students most likely to need affordable, local access to training and credentials: older students, working adults, first‑generation students and many Pell‑eligible learners. The system’s financial health affects the state’s ability to produce nurses, first responders, tradespeople and other workers tied to local economies.

Ending: Garcia closed by asking the committee to sustain ongoing investments that help community colleges keep tuition affordable and meet growing workforce demands. He said system leaders would continue to answer committee questions during figure setting and invited members to visit campus facilities.