What Will They Do Now?

Idaho government schools are scheduled to receive $51 million from the federal government to lessen the impact of $128 million budget cut from the state Legislature.

The cut caused school district superintendents and school boards to take a good look at their expenditures and find ways to economize. That’s a good thing. Some school districts, while making some cuts in expenditures, believed that their only solution was to go to the property taxpayer and either seek a new supplemental levy or to increase what currently exists. The Caldwell School District for example, asked for and received approval from the voters to increase their supplemental levy by a whopping 70 percent.

Many school districts asked property taxpayers to bail them out in this way. Not all did, as they found other ways to deal with the shortfall and congratulations and kudos to them for doing so, and not further burdening the taxpayer. And of course, charter schools, which receive no money from property taxpayers, had to do the best they could with the state appropriation.

Now the federal government has stepped in and will provide Idaho government schools with $51 million of unexpected revenue. Now what will those schools that asked their taxpayers to bail them out do? When they certify their property tax levies in September, will these school districts reduce their levies by the amount of unexpected revenue from the feds or will they use that “windfall” to continue business as usual?

State Superintendent Luna suggests that school districts be very careful about how districts spend that money and I agree. The first priority for school districts that received approval by the property taxpayer for increases in their property tax is to give those dollars back! It would be the right thing to do!