CDA SCHOOL LEVY: Vote yes

Though I no longer have children in Coeur d’Alene’s school district, I still care deeply about our district’s continuing ability to deliver top-notch educational programs. Why? Because the quality of our educational system holds equal importance to our enviable quality of life as our rich natural environment and our access to high quality health care. We must protect all three!

School levies are a necessity. I was born here over 60 years ago, educated here, and understand that levies are not some nicety. They are essential. For our newcomers, please respect the fact that Idaho’s educational funding is different than many states, and districts are essentially required to levy property taxes to fill the gap left in state provided resources. The question is not whether to have a levy but what should its size be and how long should it run.

Consider: Despite having the lowest levy rate of any of the 12 largest school districts in Idaho, our district has been a steady over-achiever as judged by the fact that the percentage of our high school students who continue on to college or professional-technical schools exceeds state and national averages.

We are fortunate to have an economical yet high-performing school district. Let’s protect it! The district has retooled the current levy proposal to reflect a reasonable price tag over a finite two-year period. Upon passage it will remain one of the smallest levy rates in Idaho.

Vote YES on May 16.

JON INGALLS

Coeur d’Alene