key faq

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is new about the election process? 

On April 21, 2008, ballots will be mailed to active Great Falls voters to authorize the Great Falls Public School District to levy taxes for the schools’ operating budget for 2008-09.  Registered voters who did not vote in the last federal election (Burns/Tester) are not considered active and must re-register at the county elections office prior to May 6 in order to vote in this election.

Click to enlarge chart.§  What’s Needed?

Over the past three years, the state has provided a much higher percent of the cost of living increases.  This year, state funding has dropped below true costs.  The impact leaves schools in need of a $2.72 million levy from local taxpayers to be able to offer the same quality instruction to students in the coming year as was offered last year. 

§  Doesn’t the state pay for education?

In Montana, taxes for schools are collected at the local level and a portion goes to the state.  It is then re-distributed on a per-pupil basis to districts to provide educational equity regardless of the resources of a particular community.  Districts are also allowed to levy additional taxes up to a cap set by the state.  In Great Falls we have room to use this discretionary levy.

§  The Governor says schools have been well funded.   Why do they need more?

The Governor and the legislature authorized one-time-only money to schools for such things as energy costs, capital improvements, facility maintenance, and constitutionally-mandated expenses.  Much of that money cannot be spent for classroom instruction.  This levy will continue the core instructional program for children in the classrooms.  It will also add three elementary school counselors to support children in stress and allow Great Falls Public Schools to maintain accreditation in accordance with student-to-counselor ratios set by the state.  Great Falls schools are advancing in math, science, and technology instruction within current levels of funding.

§  What happens if the schools get more funding from other sources?

The District has a long history of being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money.  Last year, the state provided more funding than was anticipated, so the District only levied (collected) 6 mills in taxes when 19 mills had been authorized in the levy election. Fewer mills were needed and fewer mills were levied.  The District will operate the same way this year.  At maximum, it will cost $55.03 per year on a $100,000 home.

§  Doesn’t the District have Reserves and a PPL tax distribution that will fix the problem?

For 7 years PPL protested its taxes.  To maintain the instructional program, the District spent approximately half that money, but reserved some in case the suit was lost and the District had to repay PPL.  Now that the suit is resolved, the District is free to use that reserve.  If the entire amount were put in the budget in one year, it would be “equalized” across the state and would reduce the amount of money that could be collected for Great Falls under the school funding formula in subsequent years.  That would generate a shortfall for the future instructional program.  It is more responsible for the District to use the PPL money to offset local taxes each year for approximately 5 years and simultaneously keep our local students’ educational program stable.