PPEL on the Ballot

Dear Central Academy Students and Families,

On Tuesday, November 5, Des Moines voters will be asked to approve an increase and extension of the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) for Des Moines Public Schools. If you would like more information about this ballot measure, please see: https://www.dmschools.org/ppel-physical-plant-equipment-levy/  I would encourage you to click the links on the left side of this webpage to get more information about the details for this PPEL extension before you vote so that you can make an informed decision.

The DMPS School Board’s tax neutral proposal endorsed by the Taxpayers Association of Central Iowa will lower the district’s cash reserve and management levy and increase the PPEL levy for the next 10 years. The result? An improved ability to continue providing critical maintenance to school buildings while adding more tools, especially technology, to support the education of our students AND keep the tax rate flat on Des Moines homeowners.  https://taxpayersci.org/whats-a-ppel/

What will not appear on the ballot is that the district will reduce a combination of the Cash Reserve Levy and the Management Levy in the amount equivalent to the increase in PPEL so that your property taxes will not go up if this ballot measure is successful. The additional $6.5 million generated annually by this increase in PPEL will ensure that we have a reliable funding source for student computers and continue to keep up with ongoing maintenance of our schools.

We appreciate your support of DMPS and for your participation at the ballot box on November 5.  All Des Moines voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on this proposal, not just DMPS parents.  So, talk to your neighbors, family, and friends about the proposal so that the vote truly represents the will of the voters.

Sincerely,

Dr. Gogerty