DAVENPORT - Today is School Election Day for local school boards and the Eastern Iowa Community College District, and if today is typical, this election will see the lowest turnout election.  That's why Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz is reminding voters that today is the school election, and that there is a lot at stake in these elections.

"School elections tend to have the lowest turnout of all elections," Moritz said.  "In the 2009 school election only 2.86 percent of Scott County's registered voters cast ballots.  This was below the 3.76 percent average for the last eight elections."

"That is really too bad, because the schools are so important to our communities and the school tax levies are more than the county or the city levies," Moritz said.  In Bettendorf the school levy is about $15.00 per thousand dollars of assessed value, while the city levy is $12.60.  In Davenport the school levy is about $17.05 while the city levy is $15.53. "In comparison the 2009 city elections had a countywide turnout of 9.6 percent.  Some of the smaller towns saw about 50 percent turnouts,"Moritz said.

That trend toward lower turn out may not be the case in the North Scott School district.  Contested races and controversy over whether to build a new elementary school in Eldridge are expected to draw voters to the polls. "My office anticipates that turn out in North Scott will be appreciably higher than in the other school districts. We have ordered significantly more ballots to cover the increase in voting," Moritz said.

Also today, voters in 30 Scott County precincts will see their election officials using electronic poll books.  "Electronic poll books save money and increase the accuracy of elections," Moritz said.  "With the increasing complexity of election law it is important that we give our election officials the tools they need to conduct elections.  Electronic poll books take the complexity of the law and turn it into simple to answer questions.  This decreases the opportunity for errors to occur and increases the security and accuracy of elections," Moritz said.

"Also the use of electronic poll books simplifies the process for maintaining voter files.  During the past fiscal year my office maintained more than 123,000 files for Scott County voters.  Updating these files by hand after major elections can take weeks costing more in overtime and temporary workers.  Once we fully deploy electronic poll books this updating process will only take a few hours," Moritz added.

Polls are open throughout Scott County from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Local school board positions and public measures will be on the ballot, as well as candidates for the Eastern Iowa Community College District.    Sample ballots are available on the Auditor's webpage at http://www.scottcountyiowa.com/auditor/.

There will be four positions up for election for the Bettendorf School Board, the Davenport School Board and the North Scott School Board.  The Pleasant Valley School Board will have positions for director districts three, four, five and six on the ballot.  The Bennett School District will have two positions up for election and the Calamus-Wheatland School District and the Durant School District will have three each.

Three school districts, Bettendorf, North Scott and Pleasant Valley will have ballot measures to update the revenue purpose statement for each district.  Also, North Scott will have a ballot measure submitted by citizen petition to loan textbooks free of charge or rental fee to school district students beginning July 1, 2012.

The Eastern Iowa Community College District will have positions for director districts three, four, five and nine on the ballot in Scott County.

Below is a full list of candidates for the major school boards and the community college district.

Bettendorf School District (vote for no more than four)

Barry Anderson

Ray Cassady

Paul Castro

Jeannine K. Crockett

Davenport School District (vote for no more than four)

Tyla Cole

Nikki J. DeFauw

Ralph Johanson

Ken Krumwiede

William Lee Sherwood

North Scott School District (vote for no more than four)

Dennis Albertson

Paul Dierickx

Joni Dittmer

Dennis Kirby

Barbara Kuhl

Tim Lane

Krista Long

John D. Maxwell

Pleasant Valley School District (vote for no more than one)

Director District 3 - Deborah K. Dayman

Director District 4 - Scott Isbell

Director District 5 - Joseph Bullock

Director District 6 - Amy Richmond

Eastern Iowa Community College (vote for no more than one)

Director District III - Joseph E. D'Souza

Director District IV - Robert H. Gallagher

Director District V - Mary Lou Engler

Director District IX - Michelle Garvin

For more information contact the Scott County Auditor's Office at 563-326-8631.

DES MOINES, IA (08/18/2011)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald announced today that 93% of the children that participated in College Savings Iowa's annual State Fair survey see getting a college education as a necessary step to achieving their career aspirations. "Iowa children are already planning for their futures," stated Fitzgerald. "This survey demonstrates how important it is for families to start planning and saving early to help make college a reality for their children."

"Every year we ask children visiting the fair what they want to be when they grow up and if they will need to go to college to achieve their career goals. Needless to say, we are always amazed by the responses they offer," Fitzgerald stated. Fifteen percent are planning on becoming teachers, with another 13% hoping to become veterinarians. Health care-related fields came in third this year with 11% of the responses, and professional athlete ranked fourth with 9%. "One little girl plans to go to college to become a princess, but not before having a great time a time at the State Fair."

In addition to the questions about career and college goals, the survey also asks children to identify their favorite thing to see or do at the State Fair. "Rides were definitely the favorite with kids this year," Fitzgerald said. Fair food was second on the list, with the Butter Cow and farm animals tying for third place. "Kids are especially fond of the big slide."

"Families that save and invest for their child's college education will be better prepared to meet the challenge of paying for it when the time arrives, and College Savings Iowa is here to help," added Fitzgerald. Anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - can invest in College Savings Iowa on behalf of a child. This year Iowa taxpayers can deduct up to $2,865 in contributions per beneficiary account from their adjusted gross income. * To learn more about College Savings Iowa, visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com or call 1-888-672-9116.

*Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

August 23                             
Scott County Extension Council Meeting at the Extension Office
7pm

September 2                       
Pesticide Applicator Testing
10am-2pm at the Extension Office

September 27                     
Scott County Extension Council Meeting at the Extension Office
7pm

October 5                             
Aquatic, Forest and Roadside Pest Management CIC, $35 if registered by 9/28/11, after that $45
At the Scott County Extension Office, 9am-11:30am

October 7                             
Pesticide Applicator Testing
10am-2pm at the Extension Office

October 25                           
Scott County Extension Council Meeting at the Extension Office
7pm

October 27                           
Mosquito & Public Health Pest Management CIC, $35 if registered by 10/20/11, after that $45
At the Scott County Extension Office, 9am-11:30am

November 4                        
Pesticide Applicator Testing
10am-2pm at the Extension Office

November 9                        
Ornamental & Turf Applicators CIC, $35 if registered by 11/2/11, after that $45
At the Scott County Extension Office, 1:30pm-4pm

November 16                      
Commercial Ag Weed, Insect, and Plant Disease Management CIC, $35 if registered by 11/9/11, after that
$45, at the Scott County Extension Office, 9am-11:30am

November 29                      
Fumigation CIC, $35 if registered by 11/22/11, after that $45, at the Scott County Extension Office,
9am-11:30am

December 2                        
Pesticide Applicator Testing
10am-2pm at the Extension Office

December 7                        
Pest Control Operators CIC, $35 if registered by 11/30/11, after that $45, at the Scott County Extension
Office, 9am-11:30am

Visit our events calendar at our web site:   http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/

STORM LAKE, IA (08/15/2011)(readMedia)-- Buena Vista University junior, Austin Baker from Blue Grass, has been selected as a UPS Scholar and recipient of a scholarship through the Iowa College Foundation, an organization which raises funds for its 23 member independent colleges in Iowa.

The Iowa College Foundation, a Foundation of Independent Higher Education (FIHE) affiliated state association, distributed $62,100 in UPA Scholarship funds to its 23 member colleges in Iowa fro the 2011-2012 academic year.  FIHE awared more tne $1.5 million in scholarships from its UPS Educational Endowment Fund to private institutions of higher learning across the nation.  These scholarships are awarded annually to students selected as UPS Scholars.

The UPS Educational Foundation Endowment Fund, which is held and administered by FIHE, was initiated through endowment gifts from the UPS Foundation totaling $4 million and is now valued at $35 million.  Since its inception, this fund has awarded over $46 million in scholarship support to over 15,000 students nationwide.

In announcing this year's scholarships, Ken Sternad, president of The UPS Foundation, said, "A college degree opens the doors to countless opportunities.  UPS takes great pride in our long-standing partnership with FIHE and in our support of thousands of students over the years who have been able to pursue an education from our nation's private colleges."

Baker is majoring in psychology and criminology and criminal justice at BVU.

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