• Your property taxes will go up from where they currently are, but not significantly so and will still be much lower than neighboring districts and others our size. We currently have a levy of $10.29 per thousand of “taxable value”, and this would increase the levy to around $13.80. That is still significantly below neighboring districts who range from $14.90 to $16.55 or districts of similar size who we compete against that range from $16.97 to $18.64. The amount of increase for a $300,000 would be about the cost of a family trip to McDonald’s once a month ($40). 
• Prior to having the High School bond levy fall off in 2014, the school’s levy was always around $14. We are asking that the community consider allowing us to return to a rate that is still lower than what the school used to have. 
• “Taxable Value” is around 45% of the “Assessed Value” of your house. 
• As valuations go up, the levy will come down as we are only able to levy for $90 million. If valuations go up, it doesn’t take as much of a levy to get the $90 million. 
• Even though the levy is a 20-year levy, that length of time is with zero projected growth. Our projected growth will allow us to have the levy paid off in less than 10 years. 

In the fall of 2022, the community voted on a ten year extension of the voted PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy) and expanding it from $.50 to $1.00 per $1,000 of taxable valuation. This money is used on a yearly basis for the upkeep and maintenance of our current facilities. We were able to use cost saving measures to offset the additional $.50 per $1,000 that was added to the PPEL in order to keep property taxes level. 

The district currently receives annual revenue from the voted PPEL and the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE)/$.01 sales tax. These dollars are used for upkeep, maintenance, and smaller renovations and additions. We will use these funds to ensure a plan is in place to upkeep the buildings and any renovations from the bond through the expected life of the work that is being done.

Neither of the two properties that were sold in the last few years by the district were in excess of 30 acres, which is the recommended size of land needed for the size of elementary school and early childhood center that we are looking to build. This area includes the attendance center, daycare, parking lots, playgrounds, green space and driveways. 

• We will have no choice but to try to pass it again. However, the legislature just passed a bill in the spring that only allows us to try for a bond one time per year in November, and we can only try for the Levy Increase (up to $4.05) in odd years. So the earliest we could try again would be in November of 2025. During that time, we may have to forgo Chromebook purchases, safety improvements, and bus purchases to tackle items like the High School Chiller ($1.5mil) or Titan Hill’s geothermal ($1.5mil). 
• In 2 years, with inflation, you can expect the request to be as much as 10% higher than what it currently is, as construction costs are expected to continue to increase up to 7% each year. 

The High School Auditorium and Operations buildings were items that were included on the last 20-year plan, created by the school and community members in 1998, that started with the High School being built. They didn’t have the funds at the time to build the Auditorium and Operations buildings so they saved and planned for 15 years after the completion of the High School to be able to complete those projects. It’s now time for the next 20-year plan, and it starts with infrastructure improvements.

• Those projects were done in partnership with outside organizations. 
  • Field Turf: Iowa Western paid for 20% of the turf. The school’s portion of the field turf was paid for using money that was leftover after the Auditorium project came in under budget. The previous field turf was installed in 2012 with a lifespan of 8-10 years. That field lasted 11 years and was a safety issue due to holes in the turf. 
  • Scoreboard: Iowa Western paid for 20% of the scoreboard. The LC Booster Club gave a down-payment of $100,000 and will be paying off the remainder of the scoreboard over the next few years through ad sales. While the school fronted the money, once reimbursed, not $1 of the scoreboard will have come from the school.