Groups To Put 3 Levies Before Bonner Voters ‘Now We Are All In A Position Of Competing With Each Other For Those Tax Dollars’

Bonner County officials are lining up at the property tax feeding trough, hoping for a helping of nearly $10 million from taxpayers.

The East Bonner County Library District wants to pass a $3.8 million levy next month for a new building.

Bonner County commissioners plan to run a levy in May for a new jail that could cost $5 million.

And the school district will jump in the middle with a multimillion-dollar levy proposal in March. The precise amount hasn’t yet been set.

“The projects are all justifiable and way overdue. Unfortunately, they are all happening at the same time,” said Ted Bowers, a member of the library board.

“Now we are all in a position of competing with each other for those tax dollars. I think people will look at them and say I can afford to only pick one, if that.”

Businessman Tom Clark, who is part of a group trying to reduce property taxes, said the string of upcoming levies is sheer madness.

“It boggles my mind. The typical Joe here is already tapped out,” Clark said. “I don’t doubt we need a new library and jail, but you know what? We don’t have the money to buy them. They (government) seem to think money just appears in people’s pockets.”

Clark predicts taxpayers will rebel at being asked for so much all at once and reject all the levies. The one that has the best chance of the three is the library, he said.

“We were at the trough first and we are probably the least controversial,” agreed Bowers. “It is something everyone can use and should have a broader base of support.”

Besides that, the library district hasn’t asked voters for money in about 20 years.

The school district has made repeated pleas for more money. The most recent was an unsuccessful $3 million levy in June for building maintenance and a new elementary school.

This will be the fourth time the jail levy has gone to the ballot box. It landed more than 55 percent of the votes all three times, but needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

“If we were held to the same standards as the school district the jail would have been approved and built by now,” said Sheriff Chip Roos. “Now it’s going to be that much tougher with two other levies ahead of us.”

The county opted for a May vote on the jail to coincide with the general election. That way money isn’t wasted holding a special election just for the jail.

“I’m not trying to belittle the importance of the others, but in my mind you handle the most critical need first. From the taxpayer’s standpoint I think that is the jail,” Roos said.

The county is open to lawsuits because of the overcrowded, antiquated jail. Taxpayers also spend about $700,000 annually so the county can house its overflow of inmates at other jails.

“We have been pouring a lot of money down this old jail and the only way to stop it is to vote for a new one,” Roos said.

The school district just formed its levy committee. The group is still deciding how much money to ask for and what projects are the most critical.

“It’s going to be tough. The schools, county and library all have valid needs, but it’s a considerable amount to go to the taxpayers with all in one shot,” said Steve Battenschlag, the school district’s business manager.

“It’s natural to say all three will cost me a lot of money, and vote them all down, but I hope the public will evaluate them individually.”

Tax activist Bill Denman said some county residents finally saw tax relief this year. He doubts they will be in the mood to vote themselves an immediate increase.

“It’s not so much that people will question the need for these things as they will the amounts of money being talked about,” Denman said.

“Everyone has reason to worry about their taxes going up if these pass, especially people on fixed incomes.”

The school levy would likely be for one year, while the library wants its $3.8 million levy spread out over 10 years. The jail levy could also stretch to a five-or 10-year burden on taxpayers.

“The dangerous thing about these levies is the long-term debt,” added Clark. “Some people can’t even pay the taxes they are being assessed now. How do we know if we will be able to pay for this stuff five years from now?”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: THE LEVIES Library district wants to pass a $3.8 million levy next month for a new building. Commissioners plan a levy in May for a new jail that could cost $5 million. School district plans a multimillion-dollar levy in March.