The Greene County School District reminds voters to make sure to vote on a proposal of a new revenue purpose statement to use the state’s Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) funds.
The Iowa Legislature passed an extension of the sunset date of SAVE from 2029 to 2050. In order for school districts to utilize additional funds from the one-cent sales tax through 2050, a revenue purpose statement must be passed-via election-by a school district. The revenue purpose statement explains how a school district plans to spend the SAVE funds.
Greene County Schools Superintendent Tim Christensen points out of the $35.48 million project for a new high school, career academy and converting the current high school into a middle school, about $1.5 million of SAVE funds are to be utilized on the middle school conversion project. Christensen says those funds would be used to move the office complex, which includes the district offices, to the front of the building with a secured entrance, and remodeling the gym into a competition gym.
The Greene County School Board would like to use an additional $3 million of future SAVE funds to update the building’s heating and cooling units, along with updating carpets and ceilings. Christensen explains some other key components of SAVE.
“It does not increase property tax, it does not change any of the one-cent sales tax that the county, or city or any of those things (receives), it does not affect that at all. It’s just a continuation of what we currently have.”
The special election will be held on Tuesday, September 10th. You can vote now at the Greene County Auditor’s office. To see the list of areas that the district can spend SAVE funds on, click the link below.