Trustees across Idaho are discussing and finalizing levies and bond proposals this month ahead of the Aug. 28 deadline to place them on the November ballot.
In Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, trustees approved slight increases to their existing supplemental levies, while Moscow is considering a plant-facilities levy or bond to address aging buildings.
Trustees must approve and submit ballot language to their county clerk offices by Aug. 28. EdNews will publish a full list of approved ballot measures in early September. Here’s an early look:
Coeur d’Alene increases levy ask to add security staff
Trustees put a $60.5 million, two-year levy on the ballot this month, a $5 million per year increase to the expiring levy.
Coeur d’Alene, North Idaho’s largest school district, has had a supplemental levy since 1996. The current levy makes up about 26% of the district’s operating budget.
The increase covers a 3% staff salary increase, an additional $1 million in safety staffing and a 3% hike for inflation.
- Teacher and support staff salaries and benefits: $12.3 million per year
- Student academic programs (Kootenai Technical Education Campus, advanced placement and electives): $7 million
- School safety and health programs: $4.3 million
The levy also pays for athletics and extracurricular activities, maintenance, transportation, technology and classroom supplies.
Trustees met multiple times this spring to weigh an amount for the ballot but struggled to stomach keeping the levy flat, which the district says would have led to cutting 70 staff positions.
The district estimates the new levy would cost taxpayers $110 per $100,000. State property tax relief will likely drop that number to $95 per $100,000, still about a $23 increase from 2025’s amount.
Idaho Falls increase would cover salaries, extracurriculars
Idaho Falls trustees voted to increase their supplemental ask by $3 million per year on Tuesday, for a total of $22 million over two years.
No discussion accompanied the unanimous vote, but trustees met last month to decide on the increase. Currently, Idaho Falls has an $8 million per year levy.
The increase will largely go toward staff salaries and benefits totaling $8.4 million per year, or a $2 million increase.
The rest of the funds will go toward:
- Extracurricular activities: $1.1 million per year
- Maintenance not covered by plant-facilities funds: $900,000
The levy would cost taxpayers an estimated $124 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, an increase of $28. Those figures are before state property tax relief.
Post Falls increase would cover inflation
Last month, Post Falls trustees approved a $13.6 million, two-year levy. That’s a $1.6 million increase, which Superintendent Anna Wilson attributed to inflation in a newsletter to the community.
“We thoroughly examined our budget and determined there is no way we can avoid a small increase in the levy amount based on inflation and the cost of doing business in today’s economy,” Wilson said.
The district estimates the tax will be $66.90 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, up about $5.55 from the expiring levy. With state property tax relief, that amount is expected to drop to $38.87 per $100,000.
The largest portion of the levy funds goes to safety, security, counseling and nursing support services at $1.7 million per year.
Other big-ticket items are:
- Extracurricular activities and athletics: $1.2 million per year
- Staff salaries and benefits: $1 million per year
- Student behavioral support staff: $1 million per year.
The levy also pays for the district’s portion of the Kootenai Technical Education Campus, literacy support staff and two new school buses.
Twin Falls approves lower levy amount
After staff cuts and ongoing enrollment declines, Twin Falls Trustees earlier this week approved cutting $400,000 from the district’s current supplemental levy amount.
Trustees approved a $14 million two-year levy Monday.
The district cut 18 certified staff positions, along with two administrative and several classified positions this budget cycle due to a drop in enrollment.
The new proposal cuts $200,000 per year from the staff salaries and benefits covered by the levy. Otherwise, the levy proposal remains the same as the current expiring levy.
The levy would cover:
- Salaries and benefits: $4.2 million per year
- Safety and security: $1.5 million per year
- School maintenance staff: $800,000 per year
- Extracurricular activities: $500,000 per year
The levy would cost taxpayers an estimated $83 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, a $3 decrease from the expiring levy.
Moscow considers facility ballot measure
Trustees in Moscow are weighing how best to fund updates to the district’s aging buildings.
Potential upgrades include a new middle school, then converting the current middle school into a high school, building a new elementary school, and converting the former Russell Elementary to house Paradise Creek Alternative High School.
At a board workshop last week, trustees were hesitant to run a large-scale bond, which requires two-thirds, or 66.7%, of voter support.
“My personal feeling is that there’s no way a bond will pass,” said Trustee Jim Foudy.
Instead, trustees are considering a plant-facilities levy that needs 60% of voters in support to pass but would require projects to be prioritized, then done in phases over up to a decade.
Superintendent Shawn Tiegs plans to present specific options to trustees at their Aug. 26 meeting.
Other measures we’re watching heading into November
- Kuna trustees plan to ask voters to renew their supplemental levy at the existing rate for a total of $7.2 million over two years.
- Vallivue trustees approved a $30 million, 10-year plant facility levy to address overcrowding. More details here.
EdNews Reporter Sean Dolan contributed to this story.
