Plant facilities levy going before Sandpoint voters once again

The last time a plant facilities levy was passed in Lake Pend Oreille School District, Ronald Reagan was president, a gallon of gas cost 95 cents and the cost of a first-class stamp was 21 cents. That was 1987.

But what proponents of the levy, which will go before voters on Tuesday, want people to know is the one thing that has not changed is the amount of tax dollars being spent on upgrading and maintaining the schools in this North Idaho community. The average amount per year remains at zero.

The district does not receive any state funding for capital improvements therefore the only way to acquire the funds is through a levy. The group behind the levy, the Citizens for Better Schools, researched the needs and for the second time in three years is bringing the proposal before the voters.

“The Citizens (for Better Schools) are adamant that the needs are dire enough that we cannot wait any longer,” said Lake Pend Oreille School Board member Steve Youngdahl.

But with prices of everything from gas to groceries rapidly on the rise, the thought of a levy which would increase property taxes, is enough to make many residents say enough to any additional out of pocket expenses.

“The government should not be a burden to the people, it should be a service to the people,” said Bonner County resident Philip Poutre, who said he is voting against the levy. Poutre says he believes a governing entity should fund only the bare necessities.

“Do we need fire districts? Yes. Do we need up-to-date fire apparatus? No,” said Poutre.

The two-year $14.1 million plant and facility levy will require a 55 percent plus one voter approval in order to pass.

Of the $14.1 million, $5.1 million is earmarked to address deferred maintenance issues at all schools in the district. According to Lake Pend Oreille School District, these issues include heating, ventilation, asbestos removal, and water and sewer upgrades.

Also included in the plan is money to be used for capital equipment in the areas of technology, school bus transportation, fleet vehicles, child nutrition and building systems.

The recent influx of people moving to the Sandpoint area has resulted in overcrowded classrooms and insufficient facilities according to the Citizens for Better Schools. Therefore, the levy contains provisions for new classroom spaces in both Kootenai Elementary and Sagle Elementary while retaining the portable classrooms for future growth. The district says the expansion of classrooms will be the key to alleviate overcrowding at other schools including Washington Elementary and Farmin Stidwell Elementary.

Information provided by Lake Pend Oreille School District identifies several reasons why the levy is necessary. Among them are reducing the utility and ongoing maintenance costs of the district and also the fact that equipment upgrades and construction will cost less in 2008 than it will if the improvements are put off.

Doug Olin, the assistant administrator for the district, says that because there has not been a successful levy since 1987, any repairs and maintenance that need to be done are being taken from the instructional budget, which ultimately affects the students.

“There is currently no funding for the construction,” said Olin. “Therefore anything that needs to be done takes away from the instructional budget. We’ve already been dipping into it.”

Those who are promoting the levy encourage people to come see for themselves what needs to be done in the schools.

“It is unfortunate that not everyone in the community has the time to go in-depth and investigate to see the real needs,” Youngdahl said.

Poutre states he has not visited the schools to see the condition they are in, but says that would not sway his opinion.

“I do not believe facilities educate children, teachers do,” said Poutre. “Maybe the schools are not in world-class shape, but they are functional.”

Poutre says if a homeowner’s roof is in need of repair, they patch it and do not replace the entire roof, and the schools should do the same.

For the owner of a home with a net taxable value of $100,000, the levy would increase the homeowner’s taxes by $129 in the first year and $123 the second year. Net taxable value is the value after deducting the homeowner’s exemption of $100,938 for 2008.

While Poutre says his property taxes are less than in previous year, due to the state removing the school tax from property taxes over to a one percent sales tax increase, he said to raise them again would just bring it back up to where it was.

“It is a terrible time for any raise in taxes,” said Poutre. “There are people in this community who it will hurt.”

Poutre said that those in opposition to the levy may be reluctant to speak out and that may be the reason those in favor have not been met with an organized group opposing the levy.

“I do not know of any organized opposition to the Plant and Facilities Levy. That being said, it does not imply that folks will support it at the polls,” said Lake Pend Oreille School Superintendent Dick Cvitanich. “I think our biggest opponent at this time is the struggling economy.”