Post Falls, Lakeland levies pass
Lakeland graduates Chelsea Pursley and Abbey Neff show their support for Lakeland schools on Election Day. Photo courtesy of Friends of Lakeland Schools.
Ballot measures floated by two area school districts to replace supplemental levies that will expire after the close of the 2024-25 school year received overwhelming support at the polls Tuesday.
Post Falls School District
Those who live in the Post Falls School District voted in favor of the $5,958,551-per-year, two-year replacement supplemental levy, which supports extracurricular activities and sports, safety and security, counseling, nursing and health services, staff salaries and the district's participation in Kootenai Technical Education Campus.
Votes in favor totaled 3,598, or 62%, while about 37% of voters opposed.
Post Falls Superintendent Dena Naccarato expressed a huge thank you to Post Falls parents and patrons for supporting this levy.
"The passage secured necessary operational funding for the students in our district and ensures our current programming continues for the next two years," she said in an email to The Press. "A special thank you to the Citizens for Post Falls Schools and our local businesses and chamber for aiding us in getting the word out."
The Post Falls levy has historically been supported by community members, with one 33-vote failure in 2021. It was the only local school levy to pass in March 2023 when neighboring school districts failed to garner enough support from constituents to pass.
Lakeland Joint School District
In the Lakeland School District, 5,592 voters cast their ballots in favor of a two-year, $7.52 million-per-year replacement levy, or 66% overall. About 33% of voters opposed the levy.
Superintendent Lisa Arnold shared her gratitude to all who helped provide information to the Lakeland community regarding the levy.
"We had several people reach out to us with questions about the levy," she told The Press in an email. "Not everyone agrees with taxes, but all who reached out were grateful for the accurate information. Our community is thriving and our school district contributes to our community in a myriad of ways, but most importantly our students graduate on time with the knowledge and skills to allow them to follow whatever path they choose. Our graduates are productive and contributing members of society."