Coeur d’Alene schools ask voters to approve levy increase to cover rising costs

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Coeur d’Alene Public Schools is asking voters to approve a replacement levy that would increase taxes.

If approved, property owners would pay $110 per $100,000 of assessed value annually, up from the current $91. For a homeowner with a $600,000 house, that means about $114 more per year.

Superintendent Shon Hocker said the additional revenue is necessary to keep pace with inflation and maintain current services. The levy would not fund anything new.

“Same stuff as before — it’s just costing more, as everybody knows,” Hocker said.

The levy dollars would help pay for expenses including teacher and staff salaries, academic programs, school safety, athletics, technology, classroom supplies and other operating costs. The levy represents approximately a quarter of the district’s total funding.

The district said it doesn’t get enough federal and state funding to pay for everything. Idaho’s school funding formula is based on average daily attendance rather than total student enrollment. Despite maintaining a 92% daily attendance rate, the district loses $45 every time a student is absent.

“That means you’re leaving 8% funding on the table,” Hocker said. “So, this levy does help fill that gap.”

Hocker said if the levy doesn’t pass, the district would face significant cuts.

“That’s how involved that levy really is. We’ve been very fortunate — the levy has been supported by our community since the 80s, and I think we do a really good job of getting the message out as to what that levy funds and the necessity of that funding,” Hocker said. “It’s really a fundamental levy.”

If voters approve the levy in November, the new tax rate would take effect next summer and continue for two years. If the levy fails, the school board would decide whether to place it on the ballot again in the spring.