Coeur d'Alene School District levy passes
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 1 month AGO
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | November 6, 2024 1:00 AM
With all 74 Kootenai County precincts reporting Wednesday morning, the Coeur d’Alene School District’s two-year, $25 million-per-year levy that expires June 30 received overwhelming support.
According to the Kootenai County Elections Department, the supplemental levy received 26,998 votes, 61%, to 17,204 no votes, 39%.
The results ensure another two years of funding for over 300 teacher and staff positions, a long list of vital programs, sports, music and art, and support services, the district said in a prepared statement.
“I am so proud and thankful to be part of this community. Voters have sent a message that our kids are their #1 priority; that our teachers, staff, and schools are worth our collective investment; and that coming together for a common purpose is what unites this community and will move us forward,” said Rebecca Smith, board chair.
Dr. Shon Hocker, superintendent, thanked the community for its “overwhelming support for renewing our essential levy for another two years. Every vote is a powerful investment in our students' learning, growth, and long-term success, and we are deeply grateful.
“We are humbled by the trust you've placed in us, and we pledge to honor it through the responsible, transparent use of levy funds to benefit every student,” he said. “This renewal reflects not just a vote of confidence but also the strength of our shared vision for education in our community.”
The Lakeland School District’s two-year, $9.5 million supplemental levy came up short, with 10,485 'no' votes, 50.6%, while 10,241 said 'yes' at 49.4%.
It needed 50% to pass and would have replaced the current levy of the same amount that expires at the end of the school year.
The Northern Lakes Fire Protection District’s two-year override levy of $3.5 million per year also easily passed with 17,531 yes votes, 73.7%, and 6,262 no votes, 26.3%. It needed 50% support.
The Timberlake Fire Protection District request for a permanent levy override of $700,000 per year to hire five firefighters and fully staff two stations passed with 3,354 yes votes, 68.5%, to 1,545 no votes, 31.5%. It required two-thirds support.
Wesley Evans, Walter Jon Groth, Richard Meyer and Paul Mahlow all were elected to the Kootenai-Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation District.
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