WSD makes case for supplemental levy
Ranells
The front of Wallace Junior/Senior High School. The high school is the newest building in the Wallace School District and was paid for through funding acquired from a bond. Ranells states that the building itself will be completely paid off in roughly five years. Students and staff at WHS and Silver Hills Elementary (not pictured) have benefited from the funding provided by previous WSD supplemental levies. Courtesy photo
By CHANSE WATSON
Managing Editor
WALLACE — The Wallace School District’s supplemental levy vote is just around the corner and Superintendent Bob Ranells is hopeful that residents will head to the polls.
This year’s levy will ask Wallace taxpayers for $1.8 million, a slight decrease from the previous 2015-2016 levy that clocked in at $1.85 million. In an interview with the News-Press, Ranells admitted that it may not be a massive drop, but it is progress.
“Hopefully that will be seen by folks as our trying to do something, as limited as it might be, to reduce taxes,” he stated. “A little bit is better than nothing at all.”
According to information provided by WSD, if the purposed levy passes, taxes on a $100,000 home after homeowners exemption ($50,000) would come out to an estimated $327.82 for 2018. This would be an estimated $21.57 annual decree and a $1.79 monthly decrease from the established rate set by the previous levy.
For a $150,000 home after homeowners exemption ($75,000), the tax amount would come to an estimated $491.73 for 2018. This would translate to an estimated $32.36 annual decrease and $2.69 monthly decrease.
Like all of the previous ones, Ranells explained at a Wallace Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Feb. 21, the money from these levies makes up for where the state falls short.
“All the things that are provided for in this levy are supplementing or providing things that are not provided otherwise by the state Legislature.”
He elaborated that these things not provided by the state include some resources for school programs, building maintenance, the district budget and classroom supplies such as textbooks.
When it comes to funding from the state in general, Ranells pulled few punches and warned that small school districts like Wallace could be in danger soon.
“It’s scary what our Legislature is working on and planning to do,” he said. “I see that the new funding formula is going to reward the top five school districts — the largest.”
A cut in funding from the state level could have WSD raising the levy amount in the future, and make providing services at the schools more difficult.
Ranells stressed that the school’s already have the massive responsibility of taking caring of children throughout the day, especially the many who do not have access to food when they leave school.
He is aware that there are critics of the school levy too, especially after seeing that the last one in 2015/2016 only passed by two votes. Some simply do not want to have their taxes be higher than they already are, and others think that a no vote would bring about what they believe to be a more effective money saving measure — a consolidation of the local school districts in the Silver Valley.
To the first group of critics, Ranells reiterates that this year’s levy will lower taxes; not raise them. As for paying taxes on a school levy in general, he argues that supporting your local schools is investing in your community for the future.
“People in this community have stated over and over and over again that there are things that they want to provide for our children,” he said.
To the second group, Ranells wants to make it clear that school consolidation is a separate issue and that shooting down the levy would not be the way to approach the idea.
This argument for voting no against a WSD levy is certainly not a new one.
A document provided to the News-Press from WSD shows that the topic of consolidation was seriously considered by Wallace school officials in May of 2001 when “a series of public meetings were held to discuss the district’s failure to pass two supplemental levies.”
The document stated that residents were strongly against tax increases and many felt that consolidation may be used as a “tax saving device.” Several discussions were held and in July 2001, a consolidation study advisory vote was held and it showed 43 percent of participating voters favoring a study and 53 percent not favoring (voter turnout was 13.3 percent).
A follow up petition to conduct a study shortly after the vote was also shot down due to it being invalid according to Idaho code.
Before these events in 2001, the document makes mention of a “1991-1992 consolidation study” that Ranells believes to have been conducted by the University of Idaho. It also states that several patrons who participated in that study believed “a Wallace/Kellogg consolidation would not reduce taxes.” WSD could not provide the News-Press with a copy of that most recent 1991-1992 study.
Rannells met those who advocate consolidation in the middle slightly when he said that he may be open to the idea of conducting a new study if the stars align.
“I don’t want to obligate any time to it (a study) or any financial output because I’d rather spend that on textbooks and kids,” he explained. “If somebody would pay for that and commit the time, I’m not violently opposed to it.”
Other school districts in Idaho that have been in similar situations where the population is in disagreement over consolidation (such as Idaho Falls and Bonneville districts in 2011) have utilized Idaho code 33-310B, which states that the state of Idaho will provide $10,000 per school district to aid in determining the feasibility of a district consolidation.
Even with this though, Ranells stresses that voting no to a levy now would not “force” the schools to consolidate, as many have claimed.
“It’s not a quick solution. I’m not sure if people on the street understand that.”
According to a study conducted by Education Northwest, a research group in Portland, Ore., that works with schools, “combining districts is not as simple as having a single superintendent or a single transportation supervisor.”
At the end of the day, Ranells says that he and WSD want what is best for their students and right now, that would be the passage of this purposed supplemental levy.
“We’re so proud of our students, teachers and staff, so we want to sustain that.”
The levy vote will be held on March 13 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters must vote in their precinct.
Precinct locations include:
- The VFW Hall, 318 E. Mullan Ave., Wallace
- Silver Wood Good Samaritan Center, 405 Seventh St., Silverton
- United Congregational Church, 408 Cedar St., Wallace
- County shop in Murray
Absentee votes can be accepted at the Shoshone County Court House in Wallace until March 9.