Voters in the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Kootenai, Plummer-Worley and St. Maries school districts will consider two-year supplemental maintenance and operation levies on Tuesday.

A simple majority vote (50 percent, plus one) is needed for the proposals to pass.

Post Falls voters will also consider a $19.5 million facility bond levy to construct a new elementary school and facility improvements. That proposal needs a vote of at least two-thirds approval to pass.

Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Voters in Kootenai County can confirm their polling place location at http://bit.ly/1DYS5Go. For more information, call 446-1030.

Of the 115 school districts in Idaho, 93 are currently collecting local property taxes through supplemental levies. In 2000, just 44 districts had levies on the books. The increasing reliance on local property taxes for public education coincided with a decline in overall funding for public education that began in 2001 when there was a recession.

School officials say their districts need to catch up with the areas that were deferred during the most recent recession, including the purchase of textbooks/classroom materials, buses and technology updates.

Here is information on the proposals:

COEUR d'ALENE

Patrons are being asked to provide $30 million in local property taxes - $15 million per year - for the next two years. The supplemental funding represents 20 percent of the school district's general fund.

If approved, the new levy will replace an expiring $12.9 million supplemental levy first approved by voters in 2011. It successfully passed again in 2013 by 66 percent. That levy, which supports a multitude of school district programs, activities, services and safety measures, will sunset on June 30.

The additional $2.1 million being asked for in the replacement levy will fund a multi-year plan to hire more teachers in order to reduce class sizes. It will also pay for new classroom materials and up-to-date textbooks.

POST FALLS

Voters will consider a supplemental levy proposal of $4.65 million per year for two years. The amount is higher than the existing $4.255 million-per-year levy.

If approved, taxes will not increase for homeowners.

The owner of a $200,000 home with a homeowners exemption currently pays $16.90 per month for the current levy. If the new levy is approved, the cost would be an additional $1.20 per month from the existing levy. However, that cost would be offset by the district paying off the bonds used to construct West Ridge Elementary and the restructure of other district construction bonds.

If the district didn't have a supplemental levy proposal at all, taxes would decrease by $18.10 a month for the average homeowner.

Post Falls has the lowest supplemental levy rate in North Idaho at $750 per child. The average rate in the area is $1,800 per child.

Voters will also consider a $19.5 million facility bond levy to construct a new elementary school and facility improvements.

Taxes will not increase as a result of the proposal. Taxes for the owner of a $200,000 home would decrease by $2.71 per month if the facility bond fails.

District officials say residents could even see a tax decrease even if both proposals pass as they conservatively project only a 2 percent increase in taxable values in the district, but the district may have at lease a 5 percent increase due to new construction.

The facility bond levy includes: constructing a $10 million elementary school on the west side of Greensferry Road to alleviate overcrowding at other schools; a $4 million second-story addition at River City Middle School; and a $2.5 million performing arts auditorium and a $2 million auxiliary gym at Post Falls High. There is also a $1 million sum for a two-classroom addition at West Ridge; heating unit upgrades at Seltice, Frederick Post/New Vision and Mullan Trail; energy efficiency remodels at Mullan Trail and Frederick Post; and security system upgrades throughout the district.

Idaho is the only state which requires such a vote for school facility measures and does not provide matching state funds.

Officials say the district's facility needs were put on hold for several years during the recession and can no longer be delayed.

KOOTENAI

Voters are being asked for $1.8 million in local property tax support over the next two years at $900,000 per year. For the owner of a $200,000 home with a homeowners exemption, the cost of the levy would be $17.75 per month.

PLUMMER-WORLEY

Voters will consider a supplemental levy of $550,000 a year for two years, the same amount as the existing expiring levy. School officials say that if approved, the measure will not result in higher tax bills for property owners.

ST. MARIES

The school district is seeking a supplemental levy of $2.07 million per year for two years. The amount is a $228,685 increase from the existing levy.

The owner of a $100,000 home would pay $25.88 per year to support the levy and the owner of a $200,000 home $57.15.

The funds are used for transportation, textbooks, supplies and extra-curricular programs.

For more information on the levies, contact your local school district office.