RATHDRUM - The Lakeland School Board is expected on Jan. 13 to decide whether to send a two-year supplemental levy proposal to voters in March.

Tom Taggart, financial director for the Lakeland School District, said district officials have started discussing a levy, and the board will likely hammer out an amount during a workshop prior to the regular meeting on Jan. 13.

"We need to have a levy, but we don't know yet what the amount will be," Taggart said.

Taggart said that based on the improving economy and better plans to obtain more state funding, the amount will likely be the same or less than the current but expiring levy of $4.95 million per year for two years.

The owner of a $150,000 home pays about $185 per year for the current levy.

Taggart said if the board wants to send a levy to voters in March, the proposal would have to be approved at the Jan. 13 meeting. A simple majority (50 percent, plus one vote) is needed for supplemental levy proposals to pass.

Votes in May or August would be another option, but Taggart's preference is to float it in March so the district will know sooner whether to plan on the funds for the budget.

Supplemental funds currently comprise 20 percent of Lakeland's general fund budget.

"We don't want to make threats, but it will impact the quality of instruction if we don't get some levy funding in place," Taggart said.

But Taggart said he also believes the district shouldn't have to rely on local taxpayers as much as in recent years for funding.

"The economy is slowly improving - although it's still not very good - so my inclination is that we shouldn't increase (the amount)," he said. "We need to start turning a corner. If we can reduce it and still move ahead without cuts, (that would be optimal).

"The community has stepped up to fill the gap in the past. Now, if (state) funding comes back, we should take some of the burden off local taxpayers. I think we'll be able to lower (the levy) some, but we'll have to take it slow until the state makes a decision."

Lakeland's enrollment continues to decrease, which hurts the district's overall funding, Taggart said. Enrollment is down about 400 students from seven years ago to 4,078 this year.

"As of last week, we were down 43 over last year," Taggart said.

Taggart said the steady decline can be attributed to a charter school that opened in Rathdrum and young families on the move.

"Families are moving closer to where they're working," he said.

The Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene school districts won't float supplemental levies in 2014 as voters in those districts approved levies earlier this year.