Levy time once again for KSD
KELLOGG — For many rural Idaho schools, the use of supplemental levies is the final mile to making the bare minimum and the Kellogg School District is no different.
KSD’s supplemental levy has covered anywhere from 30 to 25% of the district’s annual operating budget, providing valuable funding to fuel, heat and electricity to the buildings, athletics, technology, maintaining a school nurse, curricular materials, full-day kindergarten, classroom support, transportation and staffing.
Their planned replacement initiative rings in at $5.9 million over the next two years (2022/23 — 2023/24).
For the patrons residing within KSD’s boundaries, the burden will stay the same in terms of the potential total dollar amount being levied if it is approved — however, the tax per $100,000 of taxable assessed value is expected to decrease by $1.46 per $100,000.
“It’s roughly the same amount of money, but it is a slight decrease,” said KSD Superintendent Lance Pearson. “We recognize that things are rough right now and it’s a tough time for everyone in the Silver Valley. Property valuations have skyrocketed so we’re asking for the bare minimum of what we need.”
The consequences of that loss of funding would result in Kellogg essentially having to begin eliminating staff, both in the non-core and core subjects.
This would result in larger class sizes, which alters the effectiveness that the remaining teachers are able to have as they instruct.
"We are trying to be good custodians of taxpayer monies. This money comes in and then it really does stay in the community. A large portion of this goes to salaries and benefits,” Pearson said. “We have good people working here and we want to keep them — this is important.”
District administration wants to stress to the community that this is simply a replacement of an already existing tax, and not a brand new levy making its way onto the tax rolls.
85% of school district’s in Idaho run supplemental levies similar to KSD, including the neighboring Wallace School District (to compare, WSD's most recent levy covered 40% of its annual operating budget).
KSD is hoping that it has earned a little good faith with its constituency, and that its decision to not receive emergency levy funds at the beginning of the year will benefit them when voters head to the polls on March 8.
“We could’ve asked for more in the fall and we chose not to,” Pearson said. “But that again goes back to being responsible with our community and their money.”
Polling places will be announced in the coming weeks, but for more information, please call the Kellogg School District at 208-784-1348.
