School bond request rejected
Daily Inter Lake | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 14 years, 9 months AGO
Taxpayers in the Fair-Mont-Egan School District overwhelmingly rejected a $1.9 million bond request Tuesday.
Three hundred twenty-five voters vetoed the bond issue; 155 voted in its favor. About 67 percent of the district’s 720 active voters returned their ballots.
Had the bond issue passed, the district would have built a new gymnasium, at least two new classrooms and administrative offices to connect the school’s two buildings. The library and computer lab would have been expanded, tutoring rooms would have been added for special education and Title I students, and a band and music room would have been built.
The bond issue would have raised annual property taxes by $92 on a home with a $100,000 taxable value. Property taxes on a home with a $200,000 taxable value would have increased by about $184 a year.
Many voters before the election expressed frustration about possibly shouldering the tax burden for out-of-district families who send their children to Fair-Mont-Egan. About 38 percent of children at the school do not live in the district.
School officials had hoped voters would be swayed by a federal grant that would have provided zero to very low interest on the bonds.
ARTICLES BY DAILY INTER LAKE
No headline
The Kalispell Lakers’ annual Batter Up Bash fundraiser begins Friday at 5 p.m., with keynote speakers Jack Morris and Dan Gladden on hand.
No headline
Climate change awards announced
Climate Smart Glacier Country announced its Climate Smart Champions during a ceremony at the Earth Day celebration April 21 in Whitefish. Awards were presented to businesses, youth and an individual who are leaders in building local solutions to climate change challenges.
No headline
LIBBY – Libby’s Caden Williams scored 14 points and Keith Johnson poured in seven of his nine points in the final quarter to help the Loggers hold off Eureka in non-conference boys’ basketball Thursday, 49-40.