NIACC voters asked to approve money for equipment

Voters in the North Iowa Area Community College district head to the polls tomorrow to decide if the college should get still more of their tax dollars to buy instructional equipment. NIACC’s chairman of Industrial Services Technology and Manufacturing Technology Gary Forbes says a lot of equipment is involved in educating students in his areas. Forbes says it’s important for the community college to have state-of-the-art equipment to help fill jobs in the community.NIACC currently has a tax rate of 52-cents for every thousand dollars valuation, the lowest of the 15 public community colleges in Iowa. The vote would provide another six-cents. Forbes says equipment purchases will also help people who currently have jobs get updated training.Iowa law currently allows community colleges to levy up to three cents per thousand dollars valuation without voter approval. None of the money raised by the levy would go towards teacher salaries.