Letter: Kirkwood bond reboot benefits all

Those voting in the Sept. 12 school elections also will have the opportunity to vote on an important issue for Kirkwood Community College. That day, voters will be deciding on a 25-cent per $1,000 valuation bond measure that will play a vital role in the future of the college.

If the measure passes, nothing will change for individual residents in Kirkwood's service area. Taxes will not go up. The measure will add five years to the current bond schedule. The total amount that an individual resident will continue to contribute is pennies per week.

The measure will provide a huge boost to the college. The funds raised will pay for renovations and new construction for projects at Kirkwood's two largest campuses in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. On the main campus in Cedar Rapids, the agriculture, automotive and animal health program will finally get much needed building upgrades. In Iowa City, space will be added for an increased investment in workforce development programs. In addition, student services and amenities will be vastly improved with a new student center focused on one thing: student success.

Most Kirkwood graduates stay in the area. They live here. They work here. They contribute to our community in many ways. The college and its graduate make the Corridor much, much stronger.

A yes vote on Sept. 12 is not just for Kirkwood and its students. It's for all of us.

William P. Prowell

Cedar Rapids