CDA SCHOOL LEVIES: Vote yes

For the past 37 years we have renewed the supplemental levy for the Coeur d’Alene School District. The levy is a renewal of current funding for our schools and has become an indispensable part of the money that pays for the day-to-day operations in our local schools. Every two years the school district spends money to pay for an information/advertising campaign to help get the levy renewed. If passed this levy will become permanent, stable funding for our schools that future budgets can count on, and the cost of a levy campaign every two years will be eliminated. If not passed, the schools will lose 25% of their money to pay for the day-to-day operations. Would any of us like to have our wages reviewed every two years, not with a chance to get a raise, but with a threat to reduce them by 25%?

Having the levy “in perpetuity” will give our local schools the funds they need to count on to operate. Some people argue that the levy needs to be renewed every two years so the public has “leverage” to force the school district to act in certain ways, and to give the public a vote on how the money is spent for our schools. To use the levy vote as “leverage” is shortsighted and an ineffective way to help make our schools what we want them to be. We the people elect the school board trustees to be our representatives to decide policies and budgets of our local schools.

If you want change in our schools’ policies or programs, then use your voice and vote for different school board trustees to guide school policy and budgets to reflect our community’s shared values. Don’t punish our teachers and children by defunding the schools.

I urge everyone to step up and vote YES for the Coeur d’Alene school levy.

KIM MARTIN

Coeur d’Alene