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Pipe Dream

PIPE DREAM

I need to address rumors regarding area pipelines and potential school tax revenue by sharing some facts with our community.

Northwestern School District is NOT expected to receive significant revenue from neither the Utopia Pipeline nor the Rover Pipeline.

Northwestern School District may receive some residual tax revenue for the Rover pipeline, but it would only be for taxes from the product that flows through that particular pipeline with some calculation for the relatively low number of miles it runs through our school district – and we would not even see that until mid-to-late 2019 after product begins flowing. Even then we would only receive some tax revenue for the product flowing through the Rover Pipeline and nothing for the Utopia Pipeline as we understand it.

A few facts:

  • The Rover substation is NOT located in Northwestern School District, so we will receive no revenue from this
  • As we have been told, we will receive NO tax revenue for product flowing through the Utopia pipeline
  • Any pipeline tax revenue that would be received would be only for the product running through the Rover Pipeline – even then it would be divided between many public entities including: Libraries, Townships, Fire Districts, WCSCC Career Center, Individual School Districts, Municipalities, MRDD

I am sharing this communication in an effort to put some rumors to rest. 

Some community members have asked me what the district is going to do with “all that money” from the pipelines and compression substation.

Rumors have been started relative to turf football field and other individuals’ “wish list” items that have not been discussed with the school district.

As far as any school district revenue from this “Pipe Dream”, I will believe it when I see it. 

Also, any potential revenue the district would possibly realize would not compensate for the ongoing state funding cuts and unfunded mandate requirements and costs to schools or the likely federal Title I, special education, and other program cuts to schools. 

Jeffrey N. Layton

Superintendent

Northwestern Local Schools