SILVERTON – The Wallace School Board voted to increase the amount of its proposed replacement supplemental levy during its August trustee meeting. 

The proposed levy, set to take effect in the 2026-27 school year, totals $3.7 million over two years. The board approved a $150,000 annual increase over the current levy. 

Taxpayers would pay an estimated $222.35 per $100,000 of assessed property value, an increase of $21.37 from the current rate. 

Superintendent Todd Howard said the higher levy is driven by declining available funds and rising costs, including salaries. 

“If you look at the money we got from the state for salary increases compared to the increases we gave, I think we gave more than we’re going to get,” Howard said. 

Levy funds in the Wallace School District support extracurricular and co-curricular activities, athletics, staff salaries and benefits, student transportation, and food services. 

Last month, public education officials watched closely as Idaho Gov. Brad Little weighed major budget holdbacks for state-funded agencies amid a statewide shortfall. In mid-August, he announced public schools would be exempt from the 3% holdback this year, but did not clarify whether the exemption would continue. 

That uncertainty has Howard concerned. Levies passed in November may fall short if future cuts are made. 

“When the state released the information regarding state cuts/holdback, I was shocked that it didn’t include public education,” Howard said. “I would be very surprised if the shortfall were to continue into another funding cycle if schools were not included. A 3% holdback for our district could be as much as $150,000. That amount would very quickly negate any increases to our proposed levy.” 

WSD Trustee Amy Lynn acknowledged the increase may be unpopular but said delaying action could worsen the situation. 

“It seems to me that if we don’t increase the levy this year, in two years we’re going to have to increase it a lot more,” Lynn said. “I think that would be worse.” 

Wallace’s proposed replacement supplemental levy will appear on the November general election ballot.