On Tuesday, March 2, Ottumwa residents will asked to consider a voter-approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy of $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
WHAT IS PPEL?
The Physical Plant and Equipment Levy or PPEL generates funds that can primarily be used to purchase or make improvements to school buildings and grounds or for technology. Ottumwa’s current board-approved PPEL generated just under $278,000 this year, much less than our annual facility and technology needs.
HOW DOES OTTUMWA’S PPEL COMPARE TO OTHER DISTRICTS?
Ottumwa currently ranks lowest in Iowa for PPEL resources at $58 per student, compared to other districts in southern Iowa, who average $233 per student!
YOUR PROPERTY TAXES WILL NOT INCREASE!
The District estimates even with a voter-approved PPEL, the school share of the property tax levy will decrease by $0.50, a level not seen since 2007. Several factors make this possible, the largest being increases in the number of students served in our classrooms.