Voters Renew Hawkeye Community College Tax

While deciding local school board races, voters in a 10-county region of Northeast Iowa agreed to renew an instructional equipment levy for Hawkeye Community College on Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2015).

The measure was on the ballot in all or parts of Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Grundy, Fayette, Floyd, and Tama counties. Overall, 75-percent of the voters who cast ballots on the measure (8,119) said "Yes", while 25-percent (2,635) said "No". A simple majority was required for passage.

The levy goes into effect with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, and will last a decade. The currently levy generates $519,000 per year.

The levy will be used to fund the purchase of instructional equipment and technology for classrooms, laboratories, and outlying centers. Specific examples include equipment for Hawkeye’s Patient Simulator Lab, dental program clinical equipment, audio/visual equipment improvements, air compressors for career and technical programs, and transportation and heavy equipment simulators.

Hawkeye has identified a number of future needs, including equipment and technology for its new Adult Education Center and Health Services Building. In addition, the college plans to upgrade its instructional technology in classrooms and expanding its simulation training opportunities.

Along with the instructional equipment levy referendum, four members of Hawkeye Community College's Board of Trustees are running for re-election on Tuesday. None of them, though, are facing a challenger.