Lemhi County to consider joining CEI’s taxing district

SALMON — Idaho’s newest community college could soon extend its taxing footprint and services into a rural central Idaho county.

Lemhi County voters will next Tuesday vote on a ballot measure to join the College of Eastern Idaho’s district.

The Nov. 5 measure marks the second time this year locals have considered joining the district. Lemhi County voters were supposed to vote on the measure last May, reports Shelley Ridenour of the Challis Messenger, but county officials failed to file a document with the state on time.

Approving the measure would bring four new courses to the city of Salmon in January, Ridenour reported. Twenty students are now enrolled at CEI’s satellite campus in Salmon.

Approving the measure would increase local property taxes by $15 per $100,000 of assessed value per year.

It’s not the first time counties have considered joining the Idaho Falls-based college’s taxing district. Bingham County voters rejected a ballot measure in August of 2017.

Bonneville County voters approved creation of the community college taxing district on May 16, 2017. Since then, the college has beefed up efforts to bring more higher-education options to students in the region.

The Nov. 5 measure to join the taxing district needs 50 percent approval to pass.

Devin Bodkin

Devin Bodkin

EdNews assistant editor and reporter Devin Bodkin is a former high school English teacher who specializes in stories about charter schools and educating students who live in poverty. He lives and works in East Idaho. Follow Devin on Twitter @dsbodkin. He can be reached by email at [email protected].

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