Page 6 - Flathead Beacon // 4.30.14

6 | APRIL 30, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

Columbia Falls High Seeks Aid in Funding

READER School district proposes

general levy to make
POLL
up for persistent state
FLATHEADBEACON.COM
budget cuts

Should States Take Control of By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
More Federal Lands?
Plagued by persistent funding cuts,
school trustees and administrators in Co-
lumbia Falls are seeking additional fund-

ing through local property taxes to address
everyday classroom needs.
The general fund budget for Columbia
Falls High School has shrunk $422,613 in
the last ive years, the symptom of a con-
tentious and convoluted state funding for-
55% YES 45% NO mula that doesn’t always beneit smaller
rural schools.
TOTAL VOTES: 237
The latest example that local oicials
seized on is that Columbia Falls High
Should Using Marijuana for School recently saw an enrollment drop of The Columbia Falls High School School District is seeking funds from a new mill levy that would help make up
Medical Purposes be Banned one student, from 691 to 690, and as a re- for a consistently shrinking budget. BEACON FILE PHOTO
sult lost $45,603 in state funding.
in Montana?
“This is what our situation is and we Glacier Elementary School.
ey and through its planning process has
have to deal with it,” said school trustee If approved, annual property taxes
identiied a list of items that would be ad-

Lyle Mitchell. “We have to try to contin- would increase $17.49 for a homeowner dressed: add new dual-credit classes in
ue to provide a quality education given whose house had an assessed taxable val- math, business and health studies that
the changing circumstances. Yet we’re ue of $100,000, according to the school would cooperate with Flathead Valley
charged with doing that with fewer dollars district. Taxpayers’ obligations for school Community College; support current and
each year.”
funding would remain below the 2009 new advanced placement courses; add new
As a way to make up for a reduced bud- level. The levy would remain permanent “Triad” classes that include multiple de-
get, the school district’s eight board mem- based on a one-time home value assess- partments focused on technical skills and
28% YES 72% NO bers voted unanimously last month to pro- ment.
career-ready training; upgrade the com-

TOTAL VOTES: 231
pose a general fund mill levy for the high Schools like Columbia Falls that have puter software and hardware in the li-
school for $478,984 annually.
seen enrollment drops in recent years are brary; upgrade technology in the school’s
Educators say the funds would help increasingly relying on property taxes and Learning Center; enhance tutoring oppor-
Should Flathead County maintain and improve a wide range of pro- levies to keep up with ongoing demands tunities for students struggling in math
Remove Time Restraints on grams and resources throughout the city’s and rising costs. Roughly 43 percent of classes; develop resources for students at
Political Signs?
only high school.
public school budgets come from the state, risk of dropping out or failing classes; and
“It was a hard decision (to propose a which decides an amount through an equa- improve the instrument and choir rooms
levy). We just couldn’t continue to ofer the tion that is largely weighted by enrollment.
and performance theatre.

opportunities to our high school kids with- In Columbia Falls’ high school district, “We’re really focusing on working to
out a levy,” said Dean Chisholm, an 11-year property taxes represent 22.56 percent of assure that our kids are both college and
member of the school board. “I see it as a revenues. In Whiteish, 49 percent of rev- career ready. That’s where all the schools
levy that will beneit the full spectrum of enues come from property taxes and 32.66 in the valley are going,” Superintendent
our students.”
percent of the Flathead High School dis- Mike Nicosia said.
Voters will decide May 6 whether to ap- trict budget draws from property taxes.
“There’s some tremendous new oppor-
15YES 85NO prove the levy, and absentee ballots were “With the limited budget we’ve had tunities that other schools are going to be
% %
TOTAL VOTES: 179
made available last week. Polling stations from year to year, we’ve just been meeting providing because they have the funding.
will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Glacier our basic obligations,” Chisholm said.
We haven’t had those opportunities and
Gateway and Canyon Elementary schools, If the levy were approved, the school we need those opportunities for our kids.”
and between noon and 8 p.m. at the West
board would gain control over the mon-
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ONLINE POLL RESULTS ARE NOT SCIENTIFIC