School elections: Majority of levies pass in eastern Idaho; Bonneville levies fail

IDAHO FALLS — With the notable exception of Bonneville School District 93, nearly all of the supplemental levies or plant facilities levies passed. Here’s a rundown of results.

Bonneville. Ten-year, $38 million plant facilities levy: failed. Two-year, $13.6 million supplemental levy: failed.

In the largest election of the night, voters rejected a pair of increased levies.

The plant facilities levy received only 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.

Bonneville sought to replace a $2.8 million-per-year plant facilities levy and a $5.8 million-per-year supplemental levy.

Blackfoot. $23.9 million bond issue: passed. Two-year, $4 million supplemental levy: passed.

The bond issue received 82 percent support. The East Idaho district plans to convert the existing I.T. Stoddard Elementary School into a career-technical high school, and build a new elementary school. Meanwhile, 75 percent of voters said yes to the levy, reduced from $2.28 million per year.

Pocatello-Chubbuck. Two-year, $18.5 million supplemental levy: passed, with 62 percent support. Levy dollars will go toward teacher recruitment, school safety and “unknowns associated with the pandemic’s financial impact on education.”

Idaho Falls. Two-year, $13.6 million supplemental levy: passed, with 75 percent support.

Fremont County. Ten-year, $7 million plant facilities levy: passed, with 72 percent support. Two-year, $3 million supplemental levy: passed, with 72 percent support.

Shelley. $7.5 million bond issue: passed, with 79 percent support. The district plans to renovate Goodsell Elementary School, for kindergarten classrooms and a special services center; install a new HVAC system at Hobbs Middle School; and install camera systems and electronic doors.

American Falls. Two-year, $5.5 million supplemental levy: passed, with 62 percent support.

Snake River. Two-year, $1.458 million supplemental levy: passed, with 75 percent support. A slight decrease from the existing $750,000-a-year levy.

Bear Lake. Two-year, $1.3 million supplemental levy: passed, with 64 percent support.

West Jefferson. Two-year, $720,000 supplemental levy: passed, with 69 percent support. An increase from the district’s existing $300,000-a-year levy, passed in 2018.

Soda Springs. One-year, $698,000 supplemental levy: passed, with 65 percent support.

Ririe. Two-year, $580,000 supplemental levy: passed, with 70 percent support.

Clark County. Two-year, $500,000 supplemental levy: passed, with 90 percent support.

Grace. Separate one-year supplemental levies: for $300,000 and $150,000. Both passed, with 70 percent and 68 percent support, respectively.

Rockland. Two-year, $420,000 supplemental levy: passed, with 95 percent support.

Sugar-Salem. Two-year, $400,000 supplemental levy: passed, with 72 percent support.

Butte County. Two-year, $320,000 supplemental levy: passed, with 71 percent support.

Swan Valley. Two-year, $120,000 plant facilities levy: passed. The district had run four similar levies since 2019, all without success.

 Idaho Education News reporter Devin Bodkin and data analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report.

This article was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 10, 2021.