Post Falls School Board chairman: 'We're doubling down'

POST FALLS — The Post Falls School District will hold a second levy election on May 18.

The ask is the same as the March 9 request: $4,955,000 per year for two years, or $9,910,000 total.

This is a replacement supplemental levy. The current levy, approved in 2019, expires June 30. Before the March levy attempt failed by 33 votes, residents in the Post Falls School District had approved levy requests for 33 years.

The tax rate in the district is $1.70 per $1,000 assessed taxable value. This is one of the lowest in Idaho. The state average is $3.11 per $1,000. Coeur d'Alene and Lakeland school districts are at $1.71 and $2.60, respectively.

The language that voters will find on the ballot explains it this way:

“The estimated annual average cost to the taxpayer of the proposed supplemental levy is a tax of $102.18 per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of taxable assessed value, per year, based on current conditions. Currently, the District collects a supplemental levy authorized in the same amount of $4,955,9000, which will expire when the proposed levy goes into effect, so the proposed levy will not change the tax per $100,000 of taxable addressed value based on current conditions.”

“I’ve talked to so many people,” Post Falls School Board Chair Dave Paul said. “They’re not getting a tax increase.”

“When the district said it’s not raising taxes, it’s not,” Trustee Michelle Lippert said. “There’s evidence to support that.”

For example, a home valued at $300,000 with the $100,000 homeowner's exemption for a primary residence would pay $340 per year in property taxes to support the school district.

The reason homeowners are asked to pay property taxes to support their local schools is because in 2006, then-governor Jim Risch cut property taxes for public schools by $260 million. That forced schools to rely more on state sales and income tax, which were hurt during the 2008 economic recession, placing more of a burden on property taxpayers and making "supplemental" levies more important.

Now, 93 of Idaho’s 115 school districts have supplemental levies because the state only covers a portion of their expenses. In some districts, as much as 30% of their budget comes from levy dollars.

In Post Falls, levy funds cover 7.5% of its budget. They pay for student services, technology, extracurricular programming, school nurses, school resources and staffing. Here are a few examples of what those funds paid for last year:

$270,000 — Post Falls’ portion of monetary support for the Kootenai Education Technical Campus (KTEC).

$880,000 — Transportation to get kids to school safely. Includes bus purchases. This amount is in addition to $1.3 million from the state.

$2.5 million — Salaries for certified and non-certified staff, including paraprofessionals and teachers. This funding helps retain quality teachers who could be tempted to work in neighboring Washington, which has a higher minimum wage than Idaho and pays its teachers higher salaries.

“We can’t keep up with Spokane,” Paul said.

Paul emphasized the district's fiscal conservatism, as well as its transparency. Those who wish to view financial documents can visit www.pfsd.com to see the district's annual budget, staffing contracts, expense reports, payroll reports and more.

The second levy attempt has some power behind it. The Post Falls Chamber of Commerce has endorsed the levy, and a grassroots volunteer organization, Citizens for Post Falls Schools, has formed to advocate for its schools.

“Bottom line is, we’re doubling down our efforts to get the word out about the importance of the levy,” Paul said. “I think we're going to see more local community leaders, and even our students, out supporting the levy in many ways.”

The first levy try was met with some opposition, including some community members and organizations that persevered in their efforts to persuade people to vote “no.”

Kootenai County Republican Central Committee Chairman Brent Regan said the KCRCC held a special meeting of its members to review and vote on the candidates and issues they would be supporting this election cycle.

“The committee did overwhelmingly vote to support the Kootenai Fire and Rescue levy,” Regan said, adding that Chief Christopher Way “made a detailed and compelling presentation as to why the levy was needed and how future growth would fund continued improvements as needed.”

“The committee also voted to not support the Post Falls School District's levy vote ‘do over’ as conditions have not changed since March and the district made no effort to gain support,” Regan said. “The committeemen will be taking action to support the vetted candidates and issues. Due to the variety of terrain and population density across the county, exactly how that happens will vary by precinct and at the discretion of that precinct's committeemen.”

If the May 18 levy request fails, district officials will have until June 30 to plan what cuts will be made in the absence of levy funds.

People in the River City can expect to see yard signs promoting the levy, a stronger social media presence, flyers and other reminders to get to the polls May 18.

“We’re just crossing our fingers and trying to communicate actual facts,” Lippert said.

Voters have until May 7 to request absentee ballots. Visit www.idahovotes.gov, select “request absentee ballot” and complete the form.

Early voting is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 3 to May 14 at the Kootenai County Elections Office, 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d’Alene.

On May 18, polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Info: www.pfsd.com