Letter to the Editor

Rimrock levy vital to school district

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Dear editor:

I write this letter to encourage the voters in Bruneau-Grand View School District #365 to vote YES on the supplemental levy of Aug. 26.

After many meetings and much discussion there are some persistent misperceptions that I would like to address, some of which are:

1. This proposed levy of $600,000 for one year is NOT an add-on to the previous levy of $700,000 per year for two years, which has expired.

2. Revenues to the district from state and federal sources have decreased steadily over the past several years. Much discussion was had on the idea that an increase in revenue from these sources will cure our woes. It would help, but very few of those state/federal revenues come without mandates on how they are to be spent.

3) In this year it is projected that 95 of the 115 school districts in Idaho will use supplemental levies to obtain the funds needed to cover those expenses not covered by state/federal funds; i.e. supplies, maintenance, extra-curriculars, etc.

4) The district passed a bond levy in 2008 that updated all three buildings. It won't be paid off until 2028.

If Idaho's tax structure had not been changed during the Risch administration, your ad valorem tax bill today would be higher than either the expired or proposed supplemental levies.

We need to pass this levy to operate our schools and allow time to maintain a fund balance while making well-planned, long-range changes in our structure, if that is what we choose.

7. AND we had just as well be ready to pass a levy at some level every two years until 2028, unless we are going to be happy paying off bonds on empty buildings.

-- Eric Davis, Bruneau

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