Marion schools’ levy taxes us twice

Marion Independent School District residents: The school board sent a mailer saying the PPEL (Physical Plant & Equipment Levy) vote on March 5 "would not lead to a property tax increase." This is not factual.

There are 2 taxes on the ballot. There's a property tax levy of "up to $1.34 per $1000 of assessed value" for 10 years. If your assessed property value goes up, so does your tax payment, even if the "rate" is the same. (Our assessment always goes up).

The current rate is the maximum of $1.34, but the district says that with income surtax offsets, the actual rate (this year) is $0.77.

Why is the overall rate of $0.77 lower than the actual rate of $1.34? Because of the second tax on the ballot — a state income tax surcharge! There is no cap or time limit on the ballot for that. Like the PPEL tax rate, the income surtax rate is also at the discretion of the Board. In 2022 the surtax was 2% for MISD residents. Per the Iowa Department of Revenue it is now 4%.

Similar proposals with only slightly different wording were defeated by voters only four months ago. Voters already passed a $31 million bond issue in 2021 for major building and infrastructure. Enrollment at MISD has dropped approximately 3.6% over the last decade but property tax revenue has increased over 33%.

We can't afford more taxation. Please vote no on the new proposal March 5.

John Coppess

Marion