POST FALLS, Idaho — Voters in Post Falls will decide this election season whether to approve a replacement levy that would increase school funding by more than $6 million annually over the next two years.
The Post Falls School District is asking property owners to support the measure, which would raise the property tax rate from approximately $31 per $100,000 of assessed property value to $38 per $100,000. For a homeowner with a property valued at $550,000, the increase amounts to just over $3 per month.
The district said the additional revenue is critical to maintain current programs and address rising costs.
“We really analyze the $6,783,098,” said Anna Wilson, superintendent of Post Falls School District. “It is to the penny because we are analyzing the essential needs for our district.”
The district said it doesn’t receive enough money from the state to fund everything. The state bases school funding on average student attendance rather than the actual number of students enrolled in each district. While the Post Falls School District has an average attendance rate of 92.6%, it loses approximately $50 every time a student is absent, which adds up to roughly $4 million annually.
The levy money would support several key areas, including sports and extracurricular activities, school resource officers, technical education programs, support staff and salaries. The district also plans to use levy dollars to replace two aging buses.
If the levy fails, the district plans to ask voters again in the spring. However, if voters reject the measure a second time, the district will face difficult decisions about which programs to cut.
“We would have to have some very hard conversations about ‘What are we not doing for students?'” Wilson said. “We would have to look at all areas of our budget to determine, ‘What are we choosing to do without?'”
While some argue the levy is too pricey, Maureen Hansen, a Post Falls resident, expressed her support for the measure despite the higher costs.
“I’m totally for the levy,” Hansen said. “We have to continue to support our schools, and we’re investing in the next generation.”
If voters approve the levy, the new tax rate would take effect in July 2027.
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