Playing field for schools sprouts potholes

Class was in session Tuesday, and public school officials better have been paying attention.

Three of four local school districts successfully passed levies essential for maintaining their programs and personnel, but the loss was deeply disturbing and one of the wins barely cleared the bar. Combined, this March levy election looked unlike those in recent years, no doubt reflecting changes that each of us should heed.

Let’s look at some history for context.

Post Falls School District faltered in its levy request by 33 votes — 1,461-1,428. That razor-thin margin, 50.57 percent against to 49.43 percent in favor — is a strict departure from recent trends.

Two years ago, Post Falls’ supplemental levy passed with 74 percent approval. In 2017, the district’s levy request bettered that with just over 75 percent “yes” votes. And in 2015, the levy garnered 80 percent approval. You see the declining trend, which bottomed out on Tuesday.

Lakeland Joint School District eked out a win Tuesday, 2,701-2,647. That’s 50.5 percent approval, compared to 61 percent in 2019, 65 percent in 2017 and 70 percent in its previous supplemental levy election, 2014. Again, a downward trend.

Even Coeur d’Alene, which passed its levy request with 60 percent approval, did so with slightly less support than usual. Two years ago, Coeur d'Alene earned 70 percent support. In 2017, it was 79 percent, and two years before that, 73 percent.

Support for this vital funding mechanism appears to be dwindling, although after the unprecedented pandemic year everyone’s gone through, it’s wise to temper any urge to draw too many long-term conclusions.

But why the big changes Tuesday?

One component, clearly, is that a great many more people than usual voted in this otherwise low-profile election. When all the ballots had been counted at 11:12 p.m. Tuesday, 18,249 Kootenai County residents had voted. That dwarfs turnout in other recent elections: 2019, when 9,928 voted; 2017, with turnout of 11,597; and 2015, when 8,499 ballots were cast.

We can all agree that the more people participate in the election process, the better for society. In this election, people were more motivated than ever to have their voices heard — which is what our Founding Fathers must have had in mind (even if today’s public school funding formula would make them cringe).

But it’s also clear that the naysayers, be they largely longtime residents who have suddenly decided to become active, an influx of new arrivals who bring with them an anti-tax or anti-public education proclivity, or something in-between, passionately oppose those who wish to give their schools a fighting chance to succeed.

On Sunday we’ll look at a wild card in the local election game, and it is not a pleasant one.