Bonneville trustees on Wednesday unanimously approved ballot language for the May 19 election that would increase the district’s supplemental levy by about $7.6 million.
Voter approval would take Bonneville’s two-year measure from $11.6 million to $19.2 million.
The district has experienced a funding shortage of about $7 million, with leaders citing the state’s return to an attendance-based funding model after the pandemic. State leaders temporarily shifted to an enrollment-based model while schools grappled with challenges with COVID-19.
The new levy amount aims to overcome that shortage, said Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme, who fought tears to introduce the new levy amount during a board meeting Wednesday.
“These are never easy decisions to make,” Woolstenhulme said after recalling the story of a retired widow who testified at a prior board meeting about how increasing taxes threatened to push her out of her family home.
Trustees reflected on the impact the increase would make on students if key programs like band and orchestra were lost.
Board Chair Carissa Coats pointed out that the district’s levy ask hasn’t increased since in 2017.
“It hasn’t been easy to maintain that with rising costs,” Woolstenhulme said.
Since 2024, the district has tapped its savings account, or fund balance, to make up funding gaps. Projections suggest the amount will run empty by 2027 if the district doesn’t find a new source of funding.
If it can’t make up the difference, the district is looking at layoffs and cutting programs like music and physical education. Trustees fear such cuts would hurt students.
“One of the things we try to do is make sure every student has something to attach them to the school,” said longtime Trustee Paul Jenkins. “Whether it be sports, drama, debate – so that they have some connection to help ground them. We want a well-rounded student, and to do that, it does cost.”
Earlier in March, Woolstenhulme predicted the levy increase would have to be as much as $8 million. The final increase was about $7.6 million. Woolstenhulme also projected that a house with a roughly $300,000 taxable value would see an annual increase of around $150 if the levy meets the simple majority requirement to pass.
Friday is the deadline for districts to put measures on the ballot.
