Bannock County voters have an election coming up on March 9. School District #25 is seeking voter approval for renewing the Supplemental Levy which has supported the district for 60 years. A supplemental levy provides funds to a school district to make up for the insufficient funding provided by state and federal governments. In the last school year, the supplemental levy funded approximately 12% of District 25's operating costs.
As state financial support for K-12 education has declined, more and more Idaho school districts have had to raise more and more money by asking voters for approval of supplemental levies. Today, more than 80% of Idaho's districts rely on the additional funds from such levies to educate their students.
The amount that will be raised from this levy is $9.25 million, and has remained the same for the last six years. However, the actual levy rate has decreased since 2017. The School District has prepared excellent materials which voters can use to understand more about the levy, what it funds, and how it will affect individual taxpayers. A flyer with facts and information is available at https://www.sd25.us/docs/district/spotlight/supplementalevy/pcsd25%20supplemental%20levy_fnl_02022021.pdf?id=8119 , or pick up a flyer at the School District office located at 3115 Pole Line Rd.
The Pocatello League of Women Voters is in full support of passing this levy. The Idaho League has been an advocate of adequate funding of education for many years. We believe that every child in Idaho should have an equal educational opportunity in the "general, uniform, and thorough system of public free common schools" as required by Article IX of the Idaho Constitution. We have consistently pressed the legislature to appropriate more of our general fund dollars to schools, to bring Idaho up from the bottom in the national ranking of dollars per student. Since the legislature has not lived up to the constitutional requirement, we support the raising of needed funds through district supplemental levies.
In addition to the Supplemental Levy, voters in three School Trustee Zones will be asked to vote on the recall of Trustees: Jackie Cranor, Zone 1; Janie Gebhardt, Zone 2; and Dave Mattson, Zone 5.
Last September a group of citizens organized a petition drive to recall these three School Board Trustees, who will be up for re-election in the November 2021 Election. Since all three of the Board members refused to resign, the recall is included on the March ballot. Recall votes equal to the number of votes each Trustee received in their election will remove them from the District #25 Board. Idaho State statues dictate the recall process and how vacancies will be filled.
Voters need not know in which trustee zone they live. When they go to vote at Early Voting, or at their regular Precinct polling place, they will be given a ballot with the name of the Trustee from their zone, if one is up for recall. All ballots will have the Levy question.
Idaho allows voters to register at the polls. Early voting begins Monday, February 22, and runs through Friday, March 5, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Bannock County Elections Office, 141 North 6th Avenue. Requests for Absentee ballots must be received at Elections Office by February 26. Online requests can be made at https://idahovotes.gov/absentee-voter-information/
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization which encourages informed voting, and supports public policy issues through education and advocacy. League encourages everyone to get out and vote. This election is important for our children and their education. We urge a YES vote on the levy. Vote early, starting February 22, or at your regular polling place on Election Day, Tuesday, March 9.
League of Women Voters of Pocatello
