BOISE, Idaho — Many Idahoans will have to answer ballot questions when they head to the polls on May 18, deciding whether or not their respective county may allocate tax dollars to fund a specific project.
The West Ada School District in Ada County proposed a $14 million supplemental levy that would fund staff and programs.
85% of the school district’s budget is spent on salaries and benefits, according to Eric Exline, chief communications officer for the West Ada School District.
“We are a service business and we hire lots of people to provide educational services,” said Exline. “So it’s largely supporting the hiring of the staff we have in place.”
Exline said the levy is nothing new for Ada County taxpayers, since the $14 million supplemental levy has been approved every year since 2012.
“This year it’s $52 per $100,000 valuation,” Exline added.
JEROME SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND
The Jerome School District proposed a $26 million bond to build a new elementary school and improve existing buildings in Jerome County.
“In our elementary classrooms right now, we have no more classrooms for students,” Superintendent Dale Layne said. “We also needed some more space in our middle school.”
Layne added the school district decided to change their elementary schools to hold grades K-6.
“The committee determined that’d be the best configuration,” Layne said.
The superintendent added that there would virtually be no change to Jerome County taxpayers.
“Through a reconfiguration of current bonds, low interest rate and the bond equalization program, we can actually do this bond with no increase to the levy rate,” he said. “Right now it’s 3.26%, so that overall rate would stay the same.”
MCCALL LIBRARY BOND
The McCall Public Library proposes a $6.2 million bond to build an additional library.
“It involves everything that goes into expanding the footprint, including furnishing the new library,” said library director Meg Lojek.
Lojek said the bond will cost taxpayers in the city of McCall $27.51 per $100,000 of taxable value.
“We could really improve our safety and all the resources and learning in our community,” she said. “Right now, we can’t offer the services the community is asking for.”
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