Vote for ECC bond issue
Elgin Community College is asking voters to support a $178M bond issue (Photo by ECC).
As a voter on April 7th, you will get a chance to answer this question:
Shall the Board of Trustees of Elgin Community College District No. 509, Counties of Kane, Cook, DuPage, McHenry and DeKalb and State of Illinois, be authorized to build and equip a Health Careers Center, a Library and a Regional Public Safety Training Facility, build, equip, alter, renovate and repair community college buildings, build and equip additions to community college buildings, purchase, improve and equip land for community college purposes, install technology and issue bonds of said Community College District to the amount of $178,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
They estimate that for the owner of a $200,000 home, the bond issue will mean an increase in property taxes of just $23 a year. ECC estimates that the the expansion will have a positive economic impact on the area in excess of half a billion dollars, and will create thousands of jobs.
The basic objective of doubling the size of their health careers program is, I think, important and worthy, because the nation continues to face a shortage of nurses. With the socialist policies of the present administration in Washington, that shortage will only get worse. You can’t increase demand for health care and do nothing about the supply. Instead of waiting for Washington to address the supply issue, we can at least in our own area, do our part to help address this problem.
Currently, ECC takes just 120 students a year into their nursing program (80 in the fall, 40 in the spring). The wait list is more than twice that size. The proposed facility would provide space not just for the nursing program but all the health careers: dental assistants, paramedics, lab technicians and so on.
Also, the ECC library, which in its current state is no better than an average high school library, could really use an expansion, upgrade or replacement. It was built when the student body numbered 1000. Today, enrollment is 10 times that number.
Visit the Vote ECC website to learn more about the ECC expansion plans and how you can support it. A detailed breakdown of how the bond proceeds will be used is available on the main ECC website.
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As someone who used to work in the healthcare industry — I know that the nursing shortage is a real problem. Not having enough nurses drives up the cost of healthcare — something no one can afford right now.
I’m glad to see that ECC is taking the steps to address this issue to save us all money and protect the quality of health care that we receive here.
Thanks for posting on this important issue! I support ECC 100 percent!
I too support the bond referendum on the April 7th ballot! I personally know two people who were put on waiting lists for programs at ECC and have been forced to go out of district for job training in fields that have many job openings.
They are nearly guaranteed a positions with good pay & benefits and opportunities for advancement upon completion of their programs. These are jobs in our communities that will put people to work and feed our local economy. It’s a great return on investment!
I hope everyone will support ECC and vote “YES” on April 7th!