ATLANTIC, IA — Atlantic Community School Board President Laura McLean, Sunday, released the following statement, with regard to the City-School Elections on Tuesday, November 4th:

“November 4 will be an important day for the Atlantic Community School District as voters consider approving three ballot measures that together would fund a plan to upgrade our schools for future generations of Trojans. Strong communities have strong schools. We believe these timely and strategic investments will allow Atlantic to continue being a regional leader in education by providing our students with an exceptional learning environment.

“Our Facilities Improvement Plan was developed during a deliberate process lasting more than a year. The board and administration worked with architects, engineers, and our staff to identify infrastructure needs throughout the district. Through discussions held both around the board table and in the community, we identified the most critical needs, the ones that our students shouldn’t have to wait for any longer. Then, after consideration of multiple projects and funding options, the board landed on a plan that would minimize tax impact while maximizing student impact.

“The three measures our community will vote on are a general obligation bond, a sales tax revenue bond, and the proposed adoption of a Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS).

“Public Measure DH is the $22.5 million general obligation bond, which would be used to fund extensive improvement and expansion work at Washington Elementary, and updates at Schuler Elementary, Atlantic Middle School, and Atlantic High School.

“Public Measure DI is an $18.5 million sales tax revenue bond that would allow us to build a new multipurpose activity center at AHS with money the district receives from the state sales tax fund for education known as SAVE. The third ballot question is Public Measure DG—a proposed RPS that would serve as a permission slip for spending SAVE dollars.

“We understand that seeking financial support for this vision is not welcomed by all community members. However, we firmly believe these facility updates need to be made for the sake of our current and future students. Furthermore, the board has a strong record of fiscal responsibility, lowering property tax rates and keeping our levies steady, demonstrating our commitment to good stewardship of resources. The proof” McLean says “lies in the fact that Atlantic CSD’s total levy rate is currently at its lowest point since 2002. In fact, our total levy rate has fallen by more than 20 percent since 2018, from $15.59 per $1,000 of taxable property value to $12.52 today.

“An approved sales tax revenue bond or RPS would not increase property taxes or create a new tax. However, an approved general obligation bond would raise our debt service levy by $1.10
per $1,000 of taxable value, bringing our debt levy to $2.50—still significantly lower than the average $3.10 levy we’ve had from 2020 to 2025.” Laura McLean concluded by saying, “On behalf of the rest of the board, thank you all for your thoughtful feedback and engagement in recent months. Your willingness to complete surveys, visit our project website, ask honest questions, and share your perspectives has made a meaningful difference. Because you took the time to lend your voice to this process, we are better informed and more prepared to move forward in a way that reflects our shared priorities and values.

Thank you for your consideration on election day, and for your continued support of Atlantic CSD and the students we serve.”