On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, there will be a special election in which voters will be asked to approve Pleasant Valley's Revenue Purpose Statement.  A yes vote will allow the district to continue to use one-cent sales tax revenue in long range planning to build and renovate schools, address major repairs, purchase school sites, install technology, and make principal and interest payments for school infrastructure purposes.  This is not a new tax or a current tax increase.  If you have additional questions, please email pvweb@pleasval.org.

 

Sample Ballot

Public Notice for Revenue Purpose Statement

 

What is SAVE?

Secure an Advanced Vision for Education, or SAVE, is a statewide one-cent sales tax for schools which started out as a county-voter approved tax.  Scott County voters first approved the 10-year one-cent sales tax in May of 1999.  In March 2008, Scott County voters approved a second 10-year sales tax through September 2019.  In 2008, the Iowa Legislature enacted the state-wide SAVE that provided one-cent sales tax revenue to all school districts through 2029.  Pleasant Valley updated its Revenue Purpose Statement in 2011 allowing the district to use SAVE funds for facilities and technology through 2029.

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Why is the school district asking for re-approval of the Revenue Purpose Statement?

In 2019, the Iowa Legislature extended the one-cent sales tax (SAVE) through December 31, 2050.  Current District Revenue Purpose Statements are valid through December 31, 2030.  If Iowa districts want to use these funds for long-term facility planning and borrowing of these funds beyond 2030, the Revenue Purpose Statement must be updated to align with the 2019 legislative changes.  Iowa Code 423F.3 outlines in which order and what purposes revenues must be expended without a Revenue Purpose Statement.  Re-approval allows districts to plan for facility improvements during long-range planning and decide locally what purposes to spend the SAVE funds on.

SAVE allows districts to:

• Maintain the investment our communities have made in facilities
• Facilitate long-range planning and provide a stable revenue source to respond to changing facility needs.
• Provide funds to purchase technology and equipment.
• Utilize SAVE revenues for bond principal and interest payments as opposed to issuing General Obligation bonds, which are funded with property taxes

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How would passage of the Revenue Purpose Statement affect facilities planning?

Re-approval of the Revenue Purpose Statement allows District Administrators to present long-range facilities and technology planning to the Board of Education and community.  This allows a more productive planning process, allowing the District to provide a 21st Century education to all students and minimizes costs of deferred maintenance on facilities.

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How much longer does the current state-wide one-cent sales tax (SAVE) run? 

The District’s current Revenue Purpose Statement is valid through December 31, 2030.  The District will still receive SAVE funds through 2050.  However, if the Revenue Purpose Statement is not updated, SAVE funds must be spent in the order listed below and the District would not be able to borrow against future revenues past December 31, 2030.  This drastically limits the District’s ability to plan for long-term facilities and technology projects.

• Reduce any debt service levy
• Reduce any Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL)
• Reduce any Public Education and Recreation Levy (PERL)
• THEN the District can use the funds for school infrastructure and any lawful State Penny purpose 

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How much does Pleasant Valley receive annually in SAVE dollars? 

$4,963,989

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What projects are currently planned for 2020-2029? 

• Additions to Pleasant Valley Junior High
• Additions to Forest Grove Elementary
• Additions to Pleasant Valley High School
• Classroom Modernization
• Safety and Security Upgrades

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How do you decide what to spend on each project?

We’re building for the future, with flexibility built-in to help us meet tomorrow’s needs.  The Board and community will continue to provide guidance and input on how best to use our SAVE dollars.  We use long-range forecasting and planning to allocate annual dollars over a period of time.

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How would the sales tax revenue be spent?

See the detailed wording of the proposition in the “Election” section below.  Basically, the sales tax funds would be used for:

• Property tax relief
• Technology infrastructure
• School safety and security
• Build and furnish a new school building or buildings
• Remodel, reconstruct, repair, expand, and improve the school buildings
• Establish and maintain public recreation places and playgrounds
• Principal and interest on or retirement of bonds issued for school infrastructure purposes

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How will the ballot be worded?

Shall the following public measure be adopted: Yes or No

Summary: To adopt a Revenue Purpose Statement specifying the use of revenues the Pleasant Valley Community School District will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

In the Pleasant Valley Community School District, the following Revenue Purpose Statement which specifies the use of revenues the Pleasant Valley Community School District will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund shall be adopted.

To provide funds for property tax relief.

To provide funds to acquire or install information technology infrastructure (including improving buildings or sites for the purpose of accessing broadband digital telecommunications) and school safety and security infrastructure.

To provide funds to build and furnish a new school building or buildings; to build and furnish addition(s) to school buildings in the District; to remodel, reconstruct, repair, expand, and improve the school buildings in the District; to purchase and improve grounds; for demolition work; to furnish and equip district facilities.

To provide funds for the purchase, lease or lease-purchase of buildings, equipment (including transportation and recreation equipment), or technology and to repair transportation equipment for transporting students as authorized by law, to implement energy conservation measures, sharing or rental of facilities including a joint infrastructure project for the purposes of offering classes under a district-to-community college as authorized in Iowa Code Section 423F.3(3)(c), procuring or acquisition of libraries, or opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings.

To provide funds to purchase land as part of start-up costs for new student construction program or if the sale of the previous student construction was insufficient to purchase land, and to purchase construction materials and supplies for a student-constructed building or shed intended to be retained by and used by the District.

To provide funds to make payments to a municipality or other entity as required under Iowa Code Section 403.19(2).

To provide funds for demolition, cleanup, and other costs if such costs are necessitated by, and incurred within two years of, a disaster.

To provide funds to establish and maintain public recreation places and playgrounds; provide for supervision and instruction for recreational activities; or for community education purposes.

To provide funds for the payment of principal and interest or retirement of general obligation bonds issued for school infrastructure purposes, energy improvement loans, loan agreements authorized by Iowa Code Section 297.36, sales, service and use tax revenue bonds issued under Iowa Code Section 423E.5 or Iowa Code Section 423F.4; and

To provide funds for other authorized expenditures and purposes as now or hereafter permitted by law and designated by the Pleasant Valley Community School District.

It being understood that if this proposition should fail to be approved by the voters, such failure shall not be construed to terminate or restrict authority previously granted by the voters to expend receipts from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

If approved, this Revenue Purpose Statement shall remain in effect until replaced or amended by the Pleasant Valley Community School District.

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What percentage is required for passage?

A simple majority (one vote more than 50%) of all those voting in the school district election is required.

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How long would the Revenue Purpose Statement be in effect? 

It would immediately replace our existing Revenue Purpose Statement (the two are essentially the same) and would expire on December 31, 2050 unless the legislature extends the expiration date.

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Could the school board by resolution pass or modify the Revenue Purpose Statement without a vote of the electors?

No.

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Does my vote impact the vote in any other school district?

No.  Each school district has a separate vote.  They are being held on the same day.

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When and where do we vote?

The polls will be open from 7 am to 8 pm on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.  Voters can also request an absentee ballot.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

Fill out an absentee ballot request form available from the Scott County Auditor and must be received by the Auditor’s Office by Friday, February 19th, 5:00pm. 

Absentee ballots must be postmarked March 1st or sooner and received by the Auditor's Office by March 8th by 12:00pm. 

POLLING LOCATIONS

Polling locations will be:

LeClaire Fire Station
201 N. 15th Street
LeClaire, IA 52753

Belmont Administration Center
525 Belmont Road
Bettendorf, IA 52722