Sioux Center, Iowa — Voters in the Sioux Center School District have approved a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy or “PPEL.”
The PPEL measure passed 170-41, a margin of 80.57%.
According to school officials, the levy is just a renewal of a standing PPEL, and they say taxes will remain about the same.
Superintendent Patrick O’Donnell says that the money will go toward maintenance of existing school property and joint-owned property as well as needed upgrades.
He says the school population is growing at a faster pace than they had anticipated. He says growth rates were in the single digits fifteen years ago and over the last four years they’ve grown nineteen percent. He says they plan on using the funds to meet their technology needs, both for students and district-wide. Plus they will pay loan notes on the construction of some classrooms.
O’Donnell says that between PPEL and the one-cent sales tax, they hope to continue to build the facilities that the district needs to support the education of students. He says, however, that there are several options as to what that could be. He says they have had a facility study done, and they may add on to certain buildings, or even create a new building. He says they’re looking at what kind of projects would benefit both the school and the community.
According to the Sioux County Auditor’s office, the PPEL will be $1.03 per thousand valuation for all property in the district. The levy will generate about $515,000 for this school year, and it is a 10-year levy.
