Voters in the seven-county Kirkwood Community College service area approved a renewal of a bond in Tuesday’s school elections.

At least 60% of voters had to approve the measure for it to pass. The renewal is a 25-cent per $1,000 valuation, which was originally passed in 2005. Kirkwood Washington Regional Center Director Tera Pickens explained the measure, “The tax rate will not change. It will continue to cost the owner of a $100,000 home just simply 12-cents per week. But when you take that across our seven-county region what’s really amazing is the extension of the bond would actually be generating $60 million in funds to promote the success of Kirkwood students.” The five-year extension goes to 2032.

In Washington County, 643 people voted in favor or 70.6% of those who cast ballots, while 268 did not support it. In Johnson County, 13,117 people voted in favor, which equated to 73% of the vote. Kirkwood’s seven-county region includes Washington, Johnson, Iowa, Jones, Cedar, Benton, and Linn Counties.