Pocatello/Chubbuck School District to Request Emergency Levy
Pocatello/Chubbuck School District to Request School Emergency Fund Levy
Because of larger than projected student enrollment, the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District # 25 Board of Trustees will consider an emergency fund levy of approximately $300,000. The Board will consider the one-year-only emergency fund levy during a special Board meeting and may take action at that time. The special Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. in the Board room at the Education Center on Pole Line Road.
An emergency fund levy is provided for, by law, when there is an increase in the number of pupils within the district. This year enrollment increased by nearly 200 students. Given this increase, the law allows for an emergency levy of up to $925,000. However, administration will ask the Board to consider an emergency fund levy of $300,000 to restore a loss of anticipated revenue. This year’s revenue budget anticipated recovery of $48,000 in lost taxes from AMIS and experienced a drop of $250,000 in the beginning fund balance. This emergency appropriation would make the 2008-09 budget revenue whole again.
The Board follows its established goal of fiscal accountability to the public by transparency in conducting business. “Our community needs to know we are balancing serving increased numbers of students against a loss of $300,000 in projected revenue. We also hope the community knows we understand the toughness of current economic times as taxpayers and as an institution reliant on the support of taxpayers. We are not asking the Board to consider any other resources to meet the demands of educating increased numbers of student, but only to meet the $300,000 shortfall,” said Superintendent Mary Vagner. The cost for the emergency fund levy would be approximately $10.50 per each $100,000 of taxable value.
For well over a decade the District experienced a significant decline in enrollment. Now, it has experienced two years of increased enrollment. This turnaround is significantly impacting space for children at the elementary level. Many children are being bussed from their neighborhood schools to sister schools where there is limited, available space. Because of this overloading the Board will consider setting a bond election, in 2009, to increase education space for elementary children.
