Take two: Kuna plans a second levy

Kuna school trustees will take another run at a two-year, $6.38 million levy — at their earliest possible opportunity.

The School Board will put the levy back on the ballot on May 20, the Idaho Statesman reported Friday. That’s the same date as the primary election.

The trustees’ vote was 3-2, the Statesman’s Bill Roberts reported.

The schism within the board is not surprising. As we reported last week, a last-minute campaign against the levy was supported by Kuna trustee Michael Law; his cell phone number appeared on the bottom of an anti-levy flier.

For Kuna trustees, the stakes are high heading into another election. If the levy fails for a second time, the district has said it will probably have to cut some days from the school calendar and leave some teaching positions unfilled for the 2014-15 school year. If the levy passes in May, the district would have access to the property tax revenue, in time to incorporate the funding into its 2014-15 budget and its 2014-15 teacher contract negotiations.

The March 11 levy narrowly failed, receiving 48 percent of the vote. It was one of only seven school tax issues that failed on a busy election day; 41 bond issues and levies passed. (Click here for our complete $208.9 million roundup.)

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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