On the Side| Brad Hicks

Next Tuesday, we folks in the Red Oak Community School District get the chance to cast a ballot on whether to renew the existing Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, commonly called the PPEL.

School funding in Iowa is difficult to understand. Sometimes, people think a levy such as the PPEL should be used for classroom instruction and other such programs designed to improve student learning. But Iowa’s laws don’t allow that. The PPEL – which long ago was the old schoolhouse fund – was and is designed as a way for schools to generate local tax revenue to be used for specific purposes involving their facilities, transportation, and a few other items. Not having the PPEL means money generated for classroom use would be necessary to fund those designated items. 

There are lots of taxes out there people can protest. Certainly, taxpayers should always check how money is spent. But renewing the PPEL for another 10 years only makes sense, because it preserves the dollars spent in the classroom and aids upkeep.

Go vote yes for the PPEL next week.

Brad Hicks is the editor and publisher of The Express. He can be contacted at publisher@redoakexpress.com.