KSD sets levy amount

KELLOGG — The Kellogg School Board voted unanimously Thursday night to seek the renewal of a replacement supplemental levy in the coming months.

Unlike the recent facilities maintenance bond, this is a replacement of the current levy that is already in place for those in the Kellogg School District.

Besides deciding to renew the levy, school board members also decided to slightly raise the amount they are seeking.

Despite the increase in the proposed levy amount, due to fluctuations in assessed property values, the dollar amount residents pay will be less than was originally reported for the current supplemental levy.

The Kellogg School District has used supplemental levies as a means to fill gaps in the funding that they receive from the state and accounts for almost one third of their annual budget.

The current supplemental levy in place allotted $2,680,000 per year for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years.

The proposed replacement levy is $2,985,400 per year (an increase of $305,000) for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, which according to school officials, will cost KSD voters $449 per $100,000 of assessed property.

During a recent series of special workshops, the decision was made to raise the levy amount while retaining the current level of services.

The increased funding to keep current services model allows district officials to make no changes to what they offer, but will give them the ability to retain all of their services with financial security if the district experiences any growth or the costs for those activities increases.

The Kellogg School District is one of 115 other school districts in Idaho that uses a supplemental levy to cover the holes in its funding.

Voting for the KSD replacement supplemental levy will be on March 10 and only requires a simple majority to pass.