American Falls school district has bond and levy on ballot

The American Falls school district has both a bond and a levy up for public vote on Mar. 14 ballots.

A bond is used for buildings only. A levy can be used for all other expenses, like general funds for the district.

The levy the school district has is for $2.5 million and is up for renewal. The amount of the levy hasn’t changed since 2013. That means that taxes won’t increase with the renewal. In fact, the school district said they could even decrease depending on the market.

The levy will focus on operating costs that state and federal funding don’t cover.

“It will be used for cost of personnel, teaching materials, supplies, utilities, needed equipment and help with insurance,” said Ronald Bolinger, superintendent of the school district.

Bolinger said the district gets some funding from the state, but it only goes so far. The levy makes up what state funding can’t.

Bolinger said it’s costly to keep things operating for the school year and that’s why levies exist for school districts. He said all of those costs are necessary and so it’s key that the levy passes.

“The supplemental levies are crucial,” Bolinger said. “School districts can’t operate without them and it’s a good portion of our budget – over 20% of our budget.”

In order for the levy to pass, it needs a simple majority from voters.

The bond is for $9 million and will used for building a new school for third through fifth grade to help with overcrowding. It will also not increase taxes. In fact, it would be half the cost of what the current high school bond is. To pass, it needs a super majority.

More information and a video can be found on the school district’s website.