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