With vote, Iowa City board could shift money for new school

IOWA CITY – There's little to stop the Iowa City school board from taking money being reserved for a new high school and putting it toward elementary schools instead.

A majority of the school board said Tuesday night it was interested in doing just that.

After the school infrastructure local-option sales tax, or SILO, was approved by voters in 2007, the school board passed a policy setting aside $3.2 million of that money for 10 years for a new comprehensive high school.

That policy comes with a sunset clause that says if the money is not used for its intended purpose by 2017, the board can spend it on other items that align with the SILO revenue purpose statement, Superintendent Stephen Murley said Wednesday.

Among the other possibilities are new elementary schools or school additions. Several board members said Tuesday night they thought there was a greater need for new elementary schools in eastern Iowa City and North Liberty and an addition at Penn Elementary than for a new comprehensive high school.

Murley on Tuesday night talked about opening new elementary schools by fall 2015, and some board members said they'd like to see something done even sooner.

To reallocate the high school money before 2017, the board could vote to change the policy, Murley said. That would require three readings.

With the high school issue dividing the community, such a move likely would draw strong reactions from people on both sides of the matter.

Parents largely from North Liberty and northern Coralville want a new high school in their area to ease overcrowding at West High. Parents often from the City High attendance area say schools on the east side of the district have been neglected and a new high school can wait. City officials from North Liberty and Iowa City also have weighed in.

In 2007, school officials said at the SILO tax would bring in the $102 million over 10 years and could go toward several building projects, including new elementary schools and a high school. A new high school was not promised, but it was a major part of the campaign.

Since then, the school board, which had four new members elected last year, has spoken about building a new high school when the district has the money and enrollment to support one. Advocates for a new school say that time is near. Opponents disagree.