Legislators have taken a half-step toward thwarting a lawsuit filed by schools protesting an unequal distribution of money for school building construction and repairs. The House and Senate voted to distribute local option sales taxes on a statewide basis, but the system won’t change until new elections on those local option sales taxes are held, and that could take up to 10 years. Senator Jeff Angelo, a Republican from Creston, says the current system created an inequity.Margaret Buckton of the Iowa Association of School Boards says there’s 300-million dollars included in the state economic development fund that’s been endorsed by the House. She says educators and school board members will pressure Senators to pass that “Iowa Values” fund in the special session. Buckton says there are great needs out there, and the new formula — with that 300-million dollars up front — will ensure every district receives 575 dollars per student for school infrastructure.
