Courthouse needs to be updated

[Source: “Courthouse needs to be updated,” Press Citizen, 28 April 2013, by Paul Burns]

The Johnson County courthouse was built at a time when the county’s population was five times smaller and electric lighting was still considered a modern wonder. It is a beautiful building but it doesn’t function well as a working courthouse.

We need modern, secure, and accessible court space, and more of it. It is good to live in a prosperous and growing county, but with that comes the need to invest in basic infrastructure to keep up with that growth. Now is the time to make that investment, while borrowing costs are historically low.

I will vote “yes” for the Justice Center on May 7.

Paul Burns

Iowa City