FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Multiple years of failed bond measures have not been friendly to our buildings and building infrastructure. 20 years of inactivity translates to 20 years of continued aging of infrastructure.

The November 4, 2025, referendum is a result of continued listening after the failed bond election from last year. The feedback from last year’s bond election was that the primary building should continue to be the focus of our immediate efforts.

Three years ago, a community engagement team was formed to investigate district facility needs.  All constituents were invited to participate.  The team provided a list of priorities that included replacing the primary building.  They also expressed the need for the district to consider the tax impact on taxpayers.  It is the reason we are asking for $1.93 rate increase rather than the full $4.05 the District can legally ask for.

The district has heard and responded to the comments regarding sports, taxes, and open enrollment, the three main concerns of those who have opposed previous referendums.

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The district has made repairs in all buildings, including the Primary. Since 2021, the district has spent over $520,000 on major repairs to the primary building alone.  However, like an old car, it eventually becomes more costly to fix than replace. That’s why it’s more fiscally responsible to invest taxpayer dollars in something more efficient, safe, and cost-effective.

Yes.  The district has a long-term plan developed with input from the community group

Phase I of the long-term facility plan will be brought to a vote on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Project scope will include: 

• Primary building addition attached to the existing elementary school, allowing shared spaces in the kitchen and art areas, and nursing services.

• Retire the existing primary building.

Retiring the building means it will be torn down.

Short Answer:

There is no legal requirement for this, other than the district has a legal bonding capacity..

Long Answer: 

Throughout our community discussions, Superintendent Janzen and the School Board have reaffirmed a clear commitment: we will not increase the district’s tax levy rate for any additional building projects while this bond is active. This referendum asks for a levy increase of $2.07 per $1,000 of assessed value. Should our community grow significantly over the next decade and require additional facility adjustments, the Board’s pledge ensures that any future request would only involve extending the timeline of the existing rate, not raising your tax rate higher. This guarantees stable, predictable property tax rates for our residents while protecting our schools' ability to adapt to future growth.

The East Campus Project was part of a long-term facility plan developed with the community engagement team in the summer of 2024.  The community did not want a primary building on the East Campus, they wanted it to remain in the middle of town.  The best location and most fiscally responsible option was to build it where the old baseball and softball fields are located.  The community had also spoken loudly that they did not want bond money being used to build athletic facilities.  As a result, the state penny and PPEL dollars were used to fund the East Campus project so a bond could be run for a primary building only.  This project accomplished the following community goals:

1. Keeps the primary building in the middle of Sergeant Bluff.

2. No new tax dollars were asked for or used in building the East Campus fields/courts.

3. By placing the new primary building on top of the old fields, it is the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

4. By building the fields first, construction can begin as soon as possible after a bond passing and provide the least amount of disruption to student learning.

The impact on homeowners is about $6.72 per month per $100,000 of assessed valuation.  The average homeowner would pay about $21 per month, the equivalent of about 7.5 gallons of gas. LEARN MORE

School bonds are for 20 years. Phase one would be paid over 20 years. However, as property valuations increase, we would be able to be off sooner than 20 years, saving taxpayers money.

SB-L school property taxes are the 2nd lowest in the area.  If the district approves a $2.07 levy, we would be at the average of all the districts around us.

The School District does live within its means. Annual funding from federal, state, and local sources primarily covers day-to-day expenses like salaries, programs, and supplies. However, major building repairs and upgrades depend on local community support.

For large-scale projects, the district must receive voter approval through a bond referendum, allowing it to borrow the necessary funds, much like a home mortgage.

The current needs of our primary building surpass what existing funds, including the penny tax, can cover. To ensure our students have the relevant, safe, and healthy learning environments, a bond issue is essential.

• Primary building:  $35 million

• Retire the existing primary:  $3 million

The two funds can be used for identical purposes.  The two funds are used mainly to purchase vehicles (the last school bus cost $200,000) and technology, in addition to the costs for smaller projects to maintain district facilities and grounds.

The district could only afford to bond up to $5.5 million against the penny tax, which is not enough to replace a building.

Those who are currently under a city abatement only pay on the percent they are at in their abatement. However, new owners now pay 100% of school taxes due to a change in Iowa law. 

According to the city attorney, Iowa House File HF718 was enacted and amended portions of the Iowa Code related to property tax collections. The changes pertained to Chapter 404 property tax abatement/exemption for single and multi-family residential development: Effective July 1, 2024 – all new residential projects located on properties eligible for a tax abatement are prohibited to have the abatement applied to the school district portion of the property tax levy; All School District taxes will be imposed and paid on the new valuation created by residential development.

No.  School taxes don’t work that way.  Iowa school districts are limited to what the state of Iowa provides in per-student funding.  For example, if enrollment stayed level from one year to the next, but your assessed valuation went up, your school tax levy would go down (assuming all factors remain the same from year 1 to year 2).

The School District is legally obligated to only use referendum funds as stated in the ballot language. Separate line-item accounting records must be kept for all bond related expenses to ensure the funds are being used legally and appropriately.

The School District's finances are audited annually including the use of referendum funds.  The referendum project expenses would be a part of the annual audit until all funds are spent.

 Yes.   Any company is eligible to bid on any bid package released. Please understand the district is required to accept the lowest bid.

Retiring the building means it will be torn down. While we mutually explored the idea of the YMCA taking over the building to benefit our community, after exploring this option, it was agreed it was a building they would not want to purchase, and we decided it was best to take it down.

Yes, if you get an absentee ballot, it WILL contain the bond question.  The same is true on election day.