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Your guide to school bond votes in Eastern Iowa
More than $300 million in school funding will be decided by voters in three Corridor school districts Sept. 12.
Voting in the Iowa City, Linn-Mar or Clear Creek Amana school district? Here's a rundown of what your district officials say they would use that money for:
Iowa City
How much? $191.5 million
For what? The bond issue, the largest sum ever put to voters in Iowa, would finance completion of the Iowa City district's 10-year master facility plan. Those projects, according to bond language, include renovations or site improvements at all of the district's high schools and the alternative high school, all of its junior highs, as well as Shimek, Wood, Wickham, Garner, Horn, Kirkwood, Borlaug, Alexander, Lemme, Mann and Lincoln elementaries.
What does that mean for property tax rates? The district's total tax rate would increase to $14.96 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value.
Linn-Mar
How much? $80 million
For what? The bond, district officials say, would pay for two new intermediate school buildings to house fifth- and sixth-graders, a new elementary school building, renovations to the three existing elementary schools and an addition to Excelsior Middle.
What does that mean for property tax rates? It would incrementally increase Linn-Mar's tax rate to about $19 per $1,000 of taxable assessed property.
Clear Creek Amana
How much? $36 million
For what? The money would be used to build a new elementary school, improve the three existing elementary schools, build a gym at Clear Creek Elementary, rework the middle schools' access drive and build an addition to the high school and improve its parking.
What does that mean for property tax rates? District officials said passing the bond would keep the district's property tax rate stable at about $16.95 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value.
CLEAR CREEK AMANA DISTRICT: At crowded North Bend Elementary School in North Liberty, Principal Brenda Parker (top) talks with kids as about 180 students squeeze in to eat lunch Tuesday. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette)
CLEAR CREEK AMANA DISTRICT: Special education teacher Kyle Paulson warms up his lunch in the microwave Tuesday in a storage room now used as a teachers' lounge at North Bend Elementary in North Liberty. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette)
IOWA CITY DISTRICT: Brionta Skinner (left) and Jake Stapleton get busy with their math Wednesday in Julie Bride's cramped fourth-grade class at Garner Elementary School in North Liberty. The class has 31 students. The school, which opened in 2010, is looking to build a new art room and music room and playground, among other improvements, if voters approve a bond issue. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
IOWA CITY DISTRICT: Sixth graders walk back Wednesday to their classrooms in portable trailers near the playground at Garner Elementary School in North Liberty. If voters approve a bond issue, some of the money would be used for new art and music classrooms, allowing other classrooms to get relief from crowding. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
LINN-MAR DISTRICT: A ceiling panel is missing from a classroom at Indian Creek Elementary School in Marion, pictured July 6. Ceiling repairs are one of the projects going forward if voters approve a bond issue. The school was built in 1961 and administrators say it isn't equipped to handle the rising class sizes the district is seeing. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette).
LINN-MAR DISTRICT: The kitchen at Indian Creek Elementary School in Marion is seen July 6. Lunches must be brought in from another school since Indian Creek's kitchen is too small to prepare them for the size of the student body there. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette).
