Cd'A chamber backs KTEC levy

COEUR d'ALENE - The effort to build a professional-technical high school to serve three local school districts garnered support Thursday from the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce.

Board members endorsed a levy that will provide financing to build KTEC (Kootenai Technical Education Campus).

"The Chamber of Commerce is always in strong support of education and KTEC is an important element to education in Kootenai County and greater North Idaho," said chamber president Todd Christensen.

The high school - being developed through a partnership of the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland school districts, business and manufacturing leaders - will offer welding, medical, automotive and construction skills training for high school students, with dual credits and industrial certifications available.

The multi-agency effort makes it financially feasible for the districts to increase technical training opportunities for their students.

"We are encouraging individuals to become familiar with and understand the opportunity KTEC offers the community and our students, and vote in favor of the KTEC center and campus," Christensen said.

The individual ballot measures will go before voters in all three districts Aug. 24.

Full successful passage of the levy requires 55 percent voter approval in each district.

Coeur d'Alene School District taxpayers will be asked to contribute $2.7 million per year for two years, at a projected rate of 29 cents per $1,000 of taxable assessed property. The owner of a $150,000 home in the Coeur d'Alene district, after taking a 50 percent homeowners exemption, will see a $22 increase on his or her tax bill.

Post Falls taxpayers will be asked to approve $1.1 million per year for two years, at a projected tax rate of 40 cents per $1,000 of taxable property.

If the levy is approved by Post Falls voters, the owner of a $150,000 home, after the homeowners exemption, will pay $30 per year for the next two years.

Because other property taxes are being retired and coming off the rolls, Post Falls property owners will not see an increase in their tax bills if the measure is approved.

Should the levy fail, the property tax bill for the owner of a $150,000 home in Post Falls will decrease by $30 per year.

Lakeland district voters will be asked to approve $940,900 per year for two years, at a projected tax rate of 37 cents per $1,000 of taxable property. The owner of a $150,000 home in that district will see his or her tax bill increase by $27.75.

If funding for the project is approved, the $9.5 million, 50,000-square-foot building is expected to be ready to open by the fall of 2013.

Initial enrollment at the school will be 180 students.

Local businesses and Rathdrum Prairie landowners, the Meyer family, donated the land for the project, 20 acres near the corner of Lancaster Road and Highway 41.

Additional information is available online at www.ktechigh.org.