LEVY: Error misleads voters

I appreciate this week's editorial "Listen first, decide later" and feel we have done a solid job reporting to the public significant budget cuts we have made. Sometimes we're unlucky in getting the word out.

When Concerned Business of North Idaho's Annual "report" card was published in your paper we caught an error. CBNI accurately reported that our school district's levy amount decreased between 2009 and 2010 (not including KTEC) by $705,246. Unfortunately, in the highlighted % of change column this was shown as a tax increase of 7.1 percent. It was unfortunately a clerical error in the report and CBNI has concurred that the school district actually achieved the opposite, a -7.1 percent decrease in our levy amount. The ad was rerun but we are still hearing comments from folks asking how we can state we have made significant budget cuts when we "increased taxes last year."

The Coeur d'Alene School District has tightened our financial belt during these tough economic times. We've set budget priorities and in the last two years have cut $8.8 million of our operating budget - all the while maintaining a solid level of education for our community's children. We are working hard to be fiscally responsible and responsive to the taxpayers of our community. We applaud the CBNI for their efforts in promoting fiscal responsibility and only ask that we are judged by an accurate reflection of what we have achieved.

STEVE BRIGGS

Coeur d'Alene