KTEC levy voting takes place today

The countdown is on until the results of the Kootenai Technical Education Campus levy elections are in.

Polls are open today from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. in the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland school districts.

Voters in each of the three districts are being asked to approve a share of the financing to build a $9.5 million, 50,000-square-foot professional-technical high school. The building will be situated on land, already secured at no cost to taxpayers, on the Rathdrum Prairie, and will serve students from the three districts.

With successful passage of all three KTEC levies, construction of the high school is expected to be completed in time for classes to begin in 2013.

Each district's share of the construction cost is based on the district's market value and enrollment.

The Coeur d'Alene School District's share, and the amount going before voters in that district, is $2,683,846 per year for each of two years. For Post Falls, it's $1,125,254 per year for two years. In the Lakeland district, the share for each of the two years is $940,900.

Since each two-year School Plant Facilities Levy is a pay-as-you-go method of school financing, there is no interest, and the levies will drop off the books after two years.

Each of the levies requires 55 percent voter approval for successful passage.

If approved, the owner of a $200,000 home in the Coeur d'Alene School District will see a property tax bill increase of about $35 a year for two years. That same home in the Post Falls district will not see an increase because an existing levy is expiring. However, if the measure fails, this Post Falls homeowner will save about $55 a year for two years. In the Lakeland School District, passage of the measure will mean an increase in that homeowner's property tax bill of roughly $50 for each of the next two years.

A voter must reside in the school district where he or she is casting a vote (for at least 30 days.) Voters must be registered although registration is available at each polling site for eligible voters who provide photo identification.