The Columbia Falls School District is requesting two general fund levies in an election Tuesday.

The pair of levies are in the amount of $89,555 for the elementary district and $96,434 for the high school district. Kalispell Public Schools had considered running a levy, but ultimately decided not to request one at this time.

Registered voters living in the elementary district will be able to vote for both levies. Voters not living in the elementary district will only be able to vote for the high school levy proposal.

If the elementary levy is approved, owners of a home with a market value of $200,000 could expect to see their tax bill increase by $8.33. 

A high school levy approval would increase taxes by $7.75. 

For voters living in both districts, approval would mean a combined tax increase of $16.08.

For owners of a home with a market value of $300,000, taxes may increase by $12.50 if the elementary levy is approved. If the high school levy is approved, this group could expect to see taxes increase by $11.63. For voters living in both districts, approval would mean a combined tax increase of $24.13.

The district did benefit from increased funding through Senate Bill 175, but it has been negatively affected by federal sequestration and lower enrollment compared to three years ago.

Without passage of the levies, Columbia Falls clerk Dustin Zuffelato said, the district will have to reduce its budget beyond those cuts already made.

Although enrollment has declined over a three-year period, next year’s enrollment has been projected to remain near this year’s level. In order, then, to maintain the same level of academic programming for a similar amount of students, passage of the levies are crucial to prevent more cuts, Zuffelato said.

“The cost to maintain current programs during next school year are projected to increase $79,292 (1.56 percent),” Zuffelato said.

Senate Bill 175 provided $165,000, or 1.74 percent, in additional funding for the 2014 budget, but the current elementary budget of $9,712,682 would still have to be reduced by $26,340, Zuffelato said, if without passage of the levy.

Zuffelato projected sequestration will increase elementary costs by $260,269 — or 2.68 percent — which includes absorbing additional costs for federally funded programs, such as Title I.

“The district has made personnel cost reductions totaling $50,238 due to retirements of teachers and [the] superintendent,” Zuffelato said. “The district will also be required to make non-personnel cuts totaling $106,303, which funds were used to enhance the educational opportunities of students.”

The high school budget is in a similar situation. Although the senate bill added $63,449 to next year’s budget, if the levy does not pass, Zuffelato said the current high school district budget of $5,039,320 will have to be reduced by $48,508.

The Columbia Falls School District passed general fund levies last year — roughly $91,000 for the elementary district and $81,000 for the high school district.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. at Glacier Gateway and Canyon Elementary Schools. Polls at West Glacier Elementary School are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

At Kalispell Public Schools, the board of trustees decided in a 6-10 vote (trustee Mary Ruby absent) not to run a levy in June as the district works to finalize a budget by August.

Going into fiscal year 2014 the district’s state aid was increased by Senate Bill 175 by approximately $459,000 for a total of $1 million in additional state funding over the 2013 fiscal year budget allotment.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.