The youth and senior citizens of Missouri Valley are very fortunate to have a community that wants to ensure safe recreational areas for them to exercise, play, and practice. These opportunities were provided when 75% of the community approved a bond to build the Activity Learning Center(ALC) and the Public Education and Recreation Levy, also known as PERL, to help staff the Center. Currently, our senior citizens have all-day, everyday access to the ALC to safely exercise inside and our youth sports teams have a place to play and practice year-round.
The PERL is a locally controlled, voter-approved property tax levy for an amount up to 13.5 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. Once approved by the community, the PERL continues to be authorized until voters rescind the levy. Revenues from the PERL are used to establish and maintain public recreation places and playgrounds in the public school buildings and grounds of the district, which are then available to the public outside of school hours. The PERL revenues are also used to provide public educational and recreational activities within the district boundaries and for community education.
The Missouri Valley School District generates approximately $45,000 - $50,000 a year through PERL for the school district to staff the ALC facility after hours and on weekends, allowing little league teams and the general community to use for recreational activities. The Missouri Valley CSD does not have the ability to generate this money without the PERL, meaning the ALC would not be open to the community due to lack of staffing. PERL is an essential funding source that provides a safe environment for all members of our community to exercise and play.
Currently, the Iowa Senate has a Senate Study Bill, SSB-1124, to eliminate PERL. This levy was approved by the Missouri Valley Community to ensure that the Activity Learning Center (ALC) would be open for community use outside of school hours. The elimination of PERL would prevent the Missouri Valley School District from staffing the ALC for community activities. As a community that has consistently supported its citizens in education and recreation, it is vital for the community to understand the funding source for community use of the ALC is at risk.
If you would like to know more about how the Missouri Valley Community School District uses our PERL revenue, please contact Mrs. Gochenour, Superintendent, at 712-642-2706, ext. 4, or email her at cgochenour@movalleycsd.org.
If you would like to share your view on PERL with our local State Representatives, please contact Senator Mark Costello via email at mark.costello@legis.iowa.gov or contact via phone at 515-281-3371 or contact Representative Matt Windschitl via email at matt.windschitl@legis.iowa.gov or contact via phone at 515-281-3221.