No levy tax increase
BONNERS FERRY — Tuesday, the Mount Hall Wildcats, the Naples Wolverines, and the Bonners Ferry Badgers will be seeking voter approval of a proposed renewal levy that would not increase current annual property taxes.
The Boundary County School District is not asking for an increase in the 2017 Maintenance and Operations Replacement Levy and believes it can operate for the next two years on its current budget, according to Boundary County School District Superintendent Gary Pflueger.
“The current levy expires on June 30 and a replacement levy is needed to continue providing area students with the same educational tools, facilities, and resources necessary to continue business as usual,” Pflueger said.
The district has seen significant cuts in federal and state funding since 2009, and has had to educate students on less than all of the other North Idaho districts, with the Boundary County district educating each student on $1,647 compared to the Mullan school district which spends $6,618 per student.
The Federal Forest (fund 220), under Idaho Code 57-1304, is distributed by the federal government each fiscal year to the state of Idaho, and the state then allocates the fund throughout qualifying school district in Idaho. The funding is provided to Boundary County in lieu of property taxes. The dollar amount has decreased drastically since 2009, from $596,841.14, in 2009, to $316,533 in 2016.
The district has also suffered a $171,326 decrease in transportation reimbursement funds from the state of Idaho. The reimbursement dropped from $624,428, in 2010, to $453,102 in 2016.
However, even with the budget blows, the district has been successful in utilizing its resources. M&O funds were used to install fencing that now secures all entry points at the Bonners Ferry High School. Funds allocated for technology were used to replace over 200 classroom and instructional lab computers, the majority of which were over eight years old. Phone systems at Valley View and BFHS were installed in every classroom to ensure safety. Local school network infrastructures were upgraded to replace out-of-date technology, as well as expanding wireless coverage in every classroom that supports computers, Chromebooks, printers, and more.
The $2,400,000, two-year renewal operating levy generates $1,200,000 annually — equal to about 20 percent of the district’s yearly budget of about $11,437,918 million, according to Pflueger.
The levy helps pay for lower classroom sizes in the Mount Hall, Naples, and Valley View elementary schools, along with the Boundary County Middle School, and the Bonners Ferry High School, enabling teachers and support staff to more effectively attend to the needs of individual students. Student programs such as music, art, and sports are also made possible through the funding, including the transportation requirements of such programs.
The levy also funds personnel salaries and benefits that are not covered by state funding, safety and security needs, supplies and materials, technology hardware and software expenses, educators and personnel, curriculum materials and textbooks, along with equipment and building and grounds maintenance.
Polls are open to early voters today and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m at the Boundary County Courthouse, and on Tuesday, March 14.
Information: www.bcsd101.com