LTE: Encourages No Vote Based on Ignorance of the Law

Letter writer, Lagonda McDonald, is outraged about the upcoming school bond election on Aug. 28th and encourages a no vote in her letter published in the CdA Press today.  Her letter is based on misinformation.  Idaho Law prohibits school districts from saving money out of their budgets to put towards building improvements.  See full letter here .  She writes,

Schools, like most of us, should be required to live within their budgets. It probably wouldn’t hurt to have someone who has no axe to grind to be allowed to go over every school’s budget, their income and definitely their expenses. There is no doubt in my mind that extra funds would be found.

If a school’s budget doesn’t include funds for infrastructure repairs and improvements why hasn’t some type of impound account been established for just this purpose? If funds were impounded every year, when repairs and improvements were needed, the funds would be there.

The powers that be know that schools wear out — but they don’t plan for it? Doesn’t sound like a good way to do business. But I forgot, just pass another bond and make a few pay for the many!

The suggestions posed in Ms. Lagonda’s letter are not legal for the school district to pursue until the funding formulas are changed at the state level.  I’m curious to hear your thoughts.