Davenport School District residents have a funding question on the ballot today and guess what, the district powers want more money even though they are serving less students, nearly 800 less. Here is the issue before voters. It should be noted that because this is a defined entity vote precincts do not apply. Voting is at any one of eight locations around the school district. Voting is open until 8:00 PM
We voted this afternoon and turnout was relatively heavy at our location — all of three hundred or so — on a pace to beat the usual 2% average turnout district wide and MAYBE EVEN DOUBLE IT!!!!. So who is showing up? We really do not know. But if you want to pay more taxes as set forth in the wording of the proposition, reward oblivious management, sit home, because the usual suspects will show up and vote to take more of your money.
So we heartily recommend you VOTE NO and we will admit to an inkling that most people are, but that could be entirely wishful thinking.
Interestingly, as a regular school board election voter we do not remember receiving any solicitation to support the money grab. If any effort was made we suspect the usual suspects were cross-referencing likely voters with party affiliation and not reminding Republicans. We suspect any effort was an under-the-radar strategy and then to turn-out friendlies.
——————————————————————————————————————-
DAVENPORT COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT LEVY (PPEL)
SPECIAL ELECTION SCOTT COUNTY, STATE OF IOWA
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2018
PROPOSITION B
SHALL THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC MEASURE BE ADOPTED? YES NO
“Shall the Board of Directors of the Davenport Community School District, in the Counties of Scott and Muscatine, State of Iowa, levy a voter-approved physical plant and equipment property tax not exceeding one dollar and thirty-four cents ($1.34) per thousand dollars of assessed valuation for a period of ten (10) years, commencing on July 1, 2019, to be placed in the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy fund and expended for the purchase and improvement of grounds; the construction of schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings; the purchase of buildings and the purchase, lease, or lease-purchase of a single unit of equipment or equipment or technology exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) in value per unit; the payment of debts contracted for the erection or construction of school houses or buildings, not including interest on bonds; procuring or acquisition of library facilities; repairing, remodeling,reconstructing, improving, or expanding the schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhouses; expenditures for energy conservation; the rental of facilities under Chapter 28E;purchase of transportation equipment for transporting students; purchase of buildings or lease-purchase option agreements for school buildings; equipment purchases for recreational purposes;payments to a municipality or other entity as required by law; and all other lawful purposes?”
