CALDWELL, Idaho — Vallivue School District is asking voters to approve a replacement levy that would collect $7 million annually for two years while actually reducing the tax burden on property owners.
The levy, which will appear on the May 20 ballot, would fund classroom curriculum, technology, and other essential needs for the rapidly growing district.
"So many people have moved into the Vallivue school district that there's more property owners to lighten the load of the tax burden," said Joey Palmer, Vallivue District Assistant Superintendent.
"If we renew this levy, taxes would decrease by $11 dollars per 100,000 of assessed property value," Palmer said.
The district plans to use the funds to hire additional teachers to improve classroom staff-to-student ratios. One million dollars each year would be allocated for transportation needs.
"We have 143 square miles that we have to cover," Palmer said.
The levy would also support specialized educational programs not funded by the state.
"The state department of education of Idaho does not fund the gifted and talented programs, and boy, do we have a lot of gifted and talented boys and girls, so it's wonderful when voters choose to pass the supplemental levy," Palmer said.
While a previous bond helped fund two new schools set to open next school year, Palmer emphasized that the levy is crucial for staffing those facilities.
"We now have the space that's appropriate to educate our children, but what good is that space to educate our children if we do not have the funds to hire the teachers to put in those new schools," Palmer said.