Levy discussions ramp up in Coeur d'Alene School District

COEUR d'ALENE — Supplemental levy discussions are ramping up in the Coeur d'Alene School District.

Two draft resolutions were proposed Monday evening during the board's regular meeting at Midtown Meeting Center.

One amount was for a $25 million-per-year, two-year levy that, if approved by voters, would require $750,000 in cost reductions throughout the district.

The second levy amount was for $25.75 million per year for two years, which would cover a 3% cost of inflation and would not require further budget cuts.

"Without the increase, the board will have to make decisions on additional reductions to $750,000 each year for those two-year periods of times," Coeur d'Alene Superintendent Shon Hocker said.

Executive Director of Finance Shannon Johnston said ballot language for both draft resolutions has been updated to be more user friendly than previous ballot language. Both also include dollar amounts so voters can see how much money is going where.

"We've really identified what is state versus what is levy, really identifying, 'OK, if we didn't have our levy, what would we have to minimally and legally keep?'" Johnston said during her presentation to the board. "We've been really intentional with that."

Both draft amounts were presented provided enrollment remains flat and funding remains at 2024-25 levels. This funding would not be available until the 2025-26 school year.

The levy rate for the $25 million-per-year levy is not expected to increase as it would replace the current $25 million annual levy. The estimated average annual cost to taxpayers is about $93 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, per year, based on current conditions. 

If voters approve the $25.75 million amount, the increased cost to a taxpayer based on an assessed home value of $525,000 would be $11 annually, or $3 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. 

"I feel comfortable that it will be even less than that at the end result, but that will be a year down the road," Hocker said.

He said unless the community is expected to shrink, he feels this is a good, conservative approach.

Eric Heringer, a managing director in the Idaho office of Piper Sandler, a financial services company, also provided a bond and levy review. He noted how levies and school funding have been impacted by legislation in recent years.

Trustees tabled the discussion until their next meeting as Trustee Heather Tenbrink was absent. The board must decide for what amount to run the next supplemental levy and if it will go to the polls in November or May, as August and March levy dates were removed by the Idaho Legislature.

A resolution must be approved before the Sept. 6 filing deadline. The board will likely vote during a special meeting ahead of that deadline.

The Coeur d'Alene School District's supplemental levy covers about 26% of its operating budget. Levy funds pay for student athletics, school safety and security, health services, classroom resources, technology and operating expenses, to name a few.

Info: cdaschools.org

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This story has been updated to reflect that if voters approve the $25.75 million amount, the increased cost to a taxpayer based on an assessed home value of $525,000 would be $11 annually, or $3 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, not an annual increase of about $11 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value as reported in an earlier version.