* Many schools in the county are facing serious immediate facility needs including: * Safety and security improvements to buildings designed in a different era require expensive updating to support learning into the future. * Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems are needed to keep our students in school. * Other building and facilities enhancements are needed to modernize our schools to improve the educational environment for students. * County-wide collaboration projects to better serve our entire community of student needs. * This initiative addresses facility funding in a manner that shifts away from property taxes

Eligible Uses * New facilities * Additions & renovations * Land acquisition * Ongoing maintenance * Access & security * Parking lots * Roof repairs * Access & security * Energy efficiency Ineligible Uses * Salaries & overhead * Textbooks * Buses * Detached furniture & equipment * Operating costs

* Improve school safety and security by upgrading and improving school entrances and overall district security * Improving/remodeling existing buildings and classrooms * Improving/remodeling fine arts/music & athletic facilities * Use sales tax proceeds to reduce the reliance on property taxes to fund ongoing facility maintenance

* The revenue provided by the sales tax will mean an improved learning environment with an emphasis on safety and security for students across the county. * Buildings will be maintained to increase their future years of service to our community. * This revenue will allow our schools to provide the facilities necessary to support a 21 st Century education which is critical to ensuring that our students have the tools they need to compete in a changing economy.

* Groceries – unprepared foods * Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications * Titled vehicles – cars, trucks, ATVs, boats, RVs, motor homes * Farm equipment and parts * Farm inputs * Services * “If it is not currently taxed, it will not be taxed.”

* It is estimated that 30% of all sales tax revenue is generated by sales to people living outside of the county. * Revenue generated for schools in our county is estimated to be $11.5 million. * Revenue generated for our District would be $510 per student living in the county or $809,000. * If we had passed the initiative in 2009, our schools would have had a combined $57.5 million in improved facilities or property tax debt relief. * For our school this would have been $3,200,000.

* Reduce: * Superintendents of the districts in the county have pledged to reduce property taxes by not levying the fire prevention, safety, energy conservation levy (5 cents per 100 value). * A District can also abate or decrease existing property taxes by using sales tax funds to pay off outstanding building bonds. * Avoidance: * A District can avoid levying property taxes by using sales tax funds to pay for facility projects that would have been paid for with property taxes.

* Jobs and economic growth * Many projects funded by the sales tax will put local people to work and support local businesses in the county. * Local control of funds * Every school district will control how it uses the revenue through the elected school board members who represent each school community.

* Quality of life * Schools play an important role in attracting families to settle in our communities. * Allows the county to compete with the curb appeal of Iowa Scott County Schools. * This tax has been adopted by our surrounding counties (Mercer, Henry, Warren, Knox & Jo Daviess) * In five years will their learning environment surpass ours? * Will their curb appeal and increased academic and athletic facilities coax families to live and work in their communities?

“Shall a retailer’s occupation tax and service occupation tax (commonly referred to as a “Sales Tax”) be imposed in the Rock Island County at a rate of 1% to be used exclusively for school facility purposes?”