Get ready for another special referendum--NICC is seeking an extension of its existing bond levy

NICC Calmar

Northeast Iowa voters will be asked in a September 11th special election to approve an extension of NICC's existing bond levy.  The NICC Board of Trustees has approved asking for the referendum, which would generate funding not to exceed $39 million.

The College's first bond levy of $35 million was approved by district voters in December of 2007.  That set NICC's property tax levy rate for the bond and interest fund at 28.8 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation.  If the new referendum is approved by voters, the NICC levy would remain at this current rate (the additional $4 million would be generated by higher assessed valuations within the district).

The College's tax base includes public school districts in Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties, as well as sections of Bremer, Buchanan Jones, Jackson and Mitchell counties. 

The NICC Board has identified four major priorities for the bonding money: educational programming and services, infrastructure, security, and technology.  NICC President Dr. Liang Chee Wee says the continuation of the current levy will allow the school to continue to address aging facilities and increase operational and energy efficiencies, enhance physical and cyber security measures and stay current with ever-changing technologies for education and operations, as well as allowing NICC to adapt current spaces to support programs and services to meet growing employer and workforce expectations, and to support new and developing models of teaching and learning.

NICC serves an area of more than 5,000 square miles, with campus locations in Calmar and Peosta, and seven service locations in Cresco, Dubuque, Manchester, New Hampton, Oelwein and Waukon.  In 2016-2017, a total of 6,299 students enrolled in academic programs at NICC and more than 20,000 continuing education students enrolled in business and community solutions courses.