Boundary Schools Face Critical Vote Failure Of Levy Will Mean School Closure And Layoffs

The Boundary County School District is in a bind.

It’s $93,000 in debt and looking at a scrawny budget that won’t support an already scaled-back slate of programs.

Residents either must ante up and pass a levy or the district will cut about 15 employees and close one school, district officials said.

“When you are talking about closing down a school it’s very serious,” school board chairman Leonard Kucera Jr. said. “The reality is we don’t have the bucks and if people don’t pass a levy some very deep cuts have to be made.”

Boundary County’s problems, however acute, are similar to those faced by school districts throughout the Panhandle. In Bonner County, a school district trustee recently sued the state for failing to provide enough money to properly educate children. And in Kootenai County, Post Falls school officials are looking at the possibility of year-round schooling and double-shifting on the heels of three failed bond levies.

Earlier this week, state schools Superintendent Anne Fox proposed raising Idaho sales taxes by one-half percent - to 5.5 percent - to help the state’s struggling schools.

The Boundary County school district tried three times last year to pass a levy. Voters rejected it each time, telling the district to live within its $7 million budget. To do that, school officials didn’t replace several teachers who left or retired and put off buying classroom supplies and textbooks. Students also must pay to play sports.

The school district said if it is to live within that same budget next year, more cuts are needed. The most drastic move would be closing either one of the four elementary schools or the junior high. Students at the closed school would be bused to another area. Also on the chopping block are two principal posts, a counselor, two custodians, a cook and at least six other employees.

“We are trying to stay within the budget as the electorate told us to last time. To do that we won’t be able to provide the same services we have now,” said Superintendent Reid Straabe. “We are just laying it out there for the voters and will give them the opportunity to decide if they want to keep programs.”

The district is not making threats or whining about having no cash, Kucera said. The school board is aiming for a balanced budget to appease taxpayers, but wants to make sure patrons understand the consequences.

Unlike last year, the district has vowed to ask for a levy only one time. If it fails, the cuts laid out will be made.

“We will do it and move on,” Kucera said. “I don’t know about my colleagues, but personally I am frustrated with it all.”

For 20 years, Kucera has been a school trustee and seen improvements made in the district. It’s now moving backwards, he said.

“We are diluting the education of the kids in the county. We are not giving them an educational advantage when we increase class sizes, close a school and bus them longer distances,” he said. “Some parents are very concerned and rightfully so.”

The district plans to put a levy to voters on April 15, the same day tax returns must be filed to the Internal Revenue Service.

“It seemed an appropriate date,” Straabe joked. Actually the date was selected, he said, to give the district time to inform voters and for employees to look for other jobs if the levy fails.

The levy amount hasn’t been set, but is expected to be at least $600,000. It will be broken down into what is called a “cafeteria plan.” Similar to going through a food buffet line, voters can pick and choose what items they want to pay additional taxes for, if any at all.

The levy will include funding to keep all the schools open and retain employees. It could also contain a laundry list of other items from putting money toward technology and the gifted and talented program to fully funding the sports program and buying textbooks.

“I guess we will find out what the community’s priorities are,” Kucera said.

In the meantime, he expects some “barn burner” school board meetings. “Talk about closing a school creates a lot of debate and people are very worried about what is happening in this district.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TAX DAY VOTE The district plans to put a levy to voters on April 15, the same day tax returns must be filed to the Internal Revenue Service.