Lawmakers back Cedar Rapids school bond vote

On Nov. 7, the citizens of the Cedar Rapids Community School District will be asked to make their voices heard on the district’s proposed bond issue. The bond issue’s first phase will invest in, among other things, updates to Metro High School’s gym; renovations for Franklin Middle School; career and technical education additions to three high schools; building a new sixth-through-eighth-grade middle school; and renovations to Kennedy High School’s cafeteria and kitchen.

Education needs change. Our communities evolve. And our schools must do the same. That’s why we strongly urge our fellow citizens to vote yes on the Cedar Rapids Community School District bond issue.

In the Iowa Legislature, we’ve witnessed decades of kicking the can down the road on public education: reduced funding for our regent universities, taking away control from local governments and a school voucher plan that punishes public schools and benefits the wealthiest in our community. That's not how Cedar Rapids operates — we aren’t afraid of a challenge, and we’re guided by the moral responsibility to leave our schools and communities better off than we found them — just as previous generations did for us.

Because we recognize the impact costs have on the families we serve, we voted to deliver property tax relief in this year’s legislative session, and will continue to seek opportunities to deliver further relief to Cedar Rapidians. The long-term impact of refusing to act, though, is devastating. If the district has to go back to the drawing board a few years down the road, costs will undoubtedly be higher. We should pass the bond issue in November and ensure that we’re taking on today’s challenges.

Education is the great equalizer. While no facilities plan can make up for economic disparities that clearly exist in our communities, studies show improved learning environments can lead to improved outcomes for student success. The fact is upgrades to our school’s facilities are overdue, and to delay now would cost our communities even more over the long term. It’s important to act now to improve our schools.

A large amount of disinformation has been spread about the bond issue. Let us be clear: zero schools on the west side of Cedar Rapids will close under this proposal. This proposal is the result of years of input from community members, families, parents, educators, and other stakeholders. Cedar Rapids voters can be confident that this plan honors Cedar Rapids’ history of strong educational support for families of all types.

Throughout our community’s rich history, improving our students’ public education has never been without controversy: schools have been built, replaced, moved, and updated many times over the decades. Each time, the citizen leaders of Cedar Rapids have chosen to look forward, not back — and each time, our community has benefited from the decision to tackle our problems head on. On Nov. 7, please Vote Yes to Invest.

Democratic state Reps. Sami Scheetz, Eric Gjerde, Art Staed, Elizabeth Wilson and Jeff Cooling represent parts of the Cedar Rapids Community School District.