LEVY: Essential to success

Please join me on March 12 in voting YES for the upcoming Coeur d’Alene School District renewal of the M&O Levy. This provides essential funding for our school district and all its services and programs that are not fully funded by state. Currently, about 22 percent of the school district’s total budget comes from the local levy, so it is critical that we renew it.

As a family medicine physician, I am passionate about pediatric and adolescent health. A strong public-school education is vital to our health and success as a community. In addition to continuing to support ongoing school programs such as school resource officers and school nurses, this levy would expand mental health resources to further help students in their times of need. As I see regularly in my patients in clinic, mental health is an area that we need to focus resources as a community to help our pediatric population successfully and safely navigate their way to adulthood.

As a child of an elementary school teacher, I grew up regularly hearing about the importance of funding the public school system and always voting YES to support our schools. As a physician, I am repeatedly reminded by patients the importance of education to help our community’s children reach their maximum potential. Please join me in voting YES on March 12 for the district’s M&O levy.

BECCA SIEMERS, M.D.

Coeur d’Alene