Bonneville School District to rerun levies with lowered amount in May - East Idaho News
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Bonneville School District to rerun levies with lowered amount in May

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IDAHO FALLS (IdahoEdNews.org) — Just days after patrons voted against renewing two property tax levies for the Bonneville School District, trustees will put a new request on the ballot in May.

The board on Wednesday unanimously approved floating a 10-year, $2.8 million-per-year plant facilities levy ($28 million total) and a two-year, $5.8 million-per-year supplemental levy ($11.6 million total) on May 18.

The new request represents a decrease from two measures on March 9, which asked for a 10-year, $38 million plant facilities levy and two-year, $13.6 million supplemental levies.

The increased plant facilities levy received just 41 percent support, well below the 60 percent supermajority threshold. The supplemental levy received 42 percent support; all supplementals need only a simple majority to pass.

Low turnout and a complex funding picture heading into spring surfaced as major discussion points during Wednesday’s board meeting.

RELATED: D93 looks to avoid financial shortfall after levy failures; planning for new election in May

“I think we have an obligation to go back out,” said trustee Paul Jenkins, citing a local voter turnout of around 12 percent on March 9.

Trustee Greg Calder said that amount makes it hard to gauge community consensus. “We don’t know what the community wants because they didn’t come vote.”

An influx of millions of federal COVID-19 relief dollars also factored into Wednesday’s discussion. Bonneville Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme told trustees that current and expected funds will help the district handle upkeep on a number of new facilities stemming from years of local population growth.

But relying solely on an influx of federal funds now could make it difficult to return with future requests for supplemental funds.

“When those (federal) dollars are gone, we’re going to have to ask for an even bigger increase (than the district asked for on March 9).”

RELATED: Two levies fail in Bonneville School District 93, one passes in Idaho Falls School District 91

Proposed increases in the March 9 measures fueled opposition from a local citizen group that questioned requests for more money during a global pandemic.

Bonneville is one of Idaho’s fastest growing districts, but saw enrollment drop for the first time in years this school year.

With over 13,000 students, securing local funds for structural upgrades and growth has been a struggle in years past. Due largely to its still-developing tax base, Bonneville generates less local revenue than other districts its size. As a result, local home and business owners have paid a growing price for all the growth in recent years.

This article was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 17, 2021.

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