November 2026 Bond Information
Investing in Learning for the Future
This November, voters in the Kirkwood Community College service area will consider an $88 million General Obligation Bond.
The proposed bond would fund improvements to instructional spaces, laboratories, technology, and facilities that support many of the college's highest-demand academic programs.
The information on this page is intended to help community members understand what the proposed bond would fund, its estimated tax impact, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Proposed Bond Projects Estimated Tax Impact Tax Impact Details Frequently Asked Questions
Preparing Students for High-Demand Careers
The proposed bond is intended to support learning environments that prepare students for careers that help meet workforce needs throughout Eastern Iowa.
Programs that would benefit include those preparing:
- Nurses
- Paramedics
- First responders
- Agricultural professionals
- Business professionals
- Information technology specialists
- Advanced manufacturing professionals
- Skilled technicians
The proposed improvements focus on instructional spaces where students gain hands-on experience using equipment and technology similar to what they will encounter in today's workplaces.
Proposed Bond Projects
The proposed bond would provide funding for the following capital improvement projects:
Advanced Manufacturing & Trades Renovations, Jones Hall, and Arts & Theatre Annex
Estimated Investment: $46 million
This project would include:
- Modernized instructional spaces
- Updated technology and infrastructure
- Flexible learning environments for Advanced Manufacturing and Trades programs
- Consolidation of Art and Theatre Annex laboratories into the Jones Hall footprint
Business and Information Technology Upgrades, Nielsen Hall, and Benton Hall
Estimated Investment: $22 million
Improvements would include:
- Updated Business and IT classrooms
- Modern computer labs Improved building systems
- Enhanced instructional technology More efficient learning environments
Health Programs, Linn Hall, and Simulation Center
Estimated Investment: $12 million
This project would include:
- Updated instructional laboratories
- Expanded simulation spaces
- Modern classroom technology
- Improved student support areas
- Learning environments designed to reflect current healthcare practices and industry standards
Agricultural Operations Machinery Shop
Estimated Investment: $3.5 million
The project would provide:
- A new agricultural machinery shop
- Roadway improvements
- Parking improvements
- Better access for students, visitors and industry partners
High-Demand Active Learning Classrooms
Estimated Investment: $4.5 million
Improvements would include:
- Modern furniture
- Updated lighting
- Additional power access
- New classroom technology
- Accessibility improvements
- Safety enhancements
- Flexible learning environments
Estimated Tax Impact
For residential property owners, the estimated cost is:
- Approximately $9.35 per year for every $100,000 of assessed property value
Per $100,000 of assessed value, that is:
- Less than $10 per year
- Less than $1 per month
The bond tax is expected to remain in place for approximately five years before other existing levies expire and the tax rate is expected to decrease.
Actual homeowner costs may be lower depending on available property tax exemptions and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkwood Community College is asking voters to consider an $88 million general obligation bond request in November 2026.
Many Kirkwood classrooms, labs, and instructional spaces need updates to support modern technology, hands-on learning, simulation, flexible instruction, and workforce training, and to meet the growing workforce demand in our communities in areas like health care and manufacturing.
The bond would pay for five primary facility initiatives: Jones Hall renovations, agriculture operations improvements, health care and simulation space updates, Nielsen Hall and Benton Hall improvements, and high-use classroom refreshes.
Kirkwood prepares people who work throughout the region in health care, emergency response, agriculture, business, IT, manufacturing, industrial technology, skilled trades, and many other fields. That means the impact of Kirkwood training shows up in everyday community life: in hospitals, ambulances, clinics, farms, offices, factories, schools, small businesses, and local employers.
For residential homeowners, the estimated cost is $9.35 per year per $100,000 of assessed property value. That is less than $10 a year, or less than $1 per month, for each $100,000 in assessed value.
The property tax increase is expected to last about five years. After that, other existing levies are expected to expire, bringing the rate back down.
No. The full bond repayment period is longer. The important point for taxpayers is that the increase in the property tax rate is expected to last about five years, because other Kirkwood levies are scheduled to come off the tax rolls.
Yes. The $9.35 estimate does not assume exemptions or credits. Actual costs may be lower for homeowners who qualify for homestead, senior, military, or other exemptions and credits.
No. Bond funds would be used for approved capital projects such as renovations, construction, infrastructure, technology, and equipment. They would not be used for salaries or day-to-day operating expenses.
The Cedar Rapids campus is Kirkwood’s main instructional hub and serves students from across the region. Programs and facilities based there support students, families, employers, and communities well beyond Cedar Rapids.