Do School Levies Ever Expire? (Hint: No)
The Great Falls Public School District is currently running a campaign to promote another school tax increase and they’re paying for it, in part, with our tax money. One of their favorite slogans is “Facts Matter” yet the fact that our tax dollars are being used to convince us to give them even more of our tax dollars is a fact that they never seem to mention.
But we agree – facts do indeed matter. That is why E-City Beat will be posting brief facts about our school district and it’s funding on a regular basis starting with the following:
Do school levies ever expire?
The short answer is ‘No’. Levies are different from bonds which do expire after the voted upon time period – usually 20 years. Levies become part of the permanent funding that school districts rely on in order to build their budgets each year.
Here is a description of the difference between the two:
Bonds and levies are two different ways for a municipality to raise revenue. A bond is debt, offered to the public, which must eventually be repaid with interest. By contrast, a levy is a tax that towns and counties impose on local property owners in order to raise money for services.
“The bottom line is that we are all still paying taxes on the levies that were voted upon in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and every year since that a levy passed. That also means that we are obligating future generations forever to the tax increases that may pass on May 8th this year.”
The bottom line is that we are all still paying taxes on the levies that were voted upon in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and every year since that a levy passed. That also means that we are obligating future generations forever to the tax increases that may pass on May 8th this year.
Vote wisely Great Falls.
Unless, or until GFPS can demonstrate they can be responsible, I will be voting NO to ANY school levies. I am angered at how GFPS looks at taxpayers as an open checkbook. They are not at all honest with taxpayers, they are arrogant (particularly the current Superintendent), and they simply are not transparent when it comes to disclosing the reasons for increased funding requests. I see greed, I see waste, and I see irresponsibility. The only way to bring GFPS back under control is to force them into it, by voting NO to levies, and force them to work within their means. When you have a superintendent that makes a six figure income at the cost of the taxpayer, you have to wonder where the motivation is…. “for the kids” as their catch phrase goes? Or for the financial benefit of the higher administrators? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out!
Ed,
Part of the challenge to bring sanity and accountability to the school district is to elect good candidates to the school board of trustees. E-City Beat has invited candidates to answer a few questions that we can share with our readership. As the Editor and Publisher, I will be endorsing two candidates that I feel will be voices of the taxpayers, and not the union. Pleas stay tuned.
Enough is a enough. I will also vote NO on any future school levies. I am on a fixed income and cannot continue to afford these tax increases because of the current administrators whims. This is ridiculous, the school district needs to learn to manage within their current budget. If that’s not good enough cut the wages of the schools top administrators for the next 20 or 30 years to generate income to manage the school district with .
Sign me “fed up”.
Question to ask – why do all the buildings and grounds employee’s drive their district vehicle home at night. I followed one van that goes all the way to Stocket. Must be nice to have the tax payer pay for your fuel to drive back and forth. Check it out if you don’t believe me. I heard that it was because they needed them if there was and emergency in the district. Haven’t heard of alot of painter or carpentry emergencies. Just ask why.
I have contacted the district about your concerns Chuck Harling and am awaiting a response
Nothing from the empire on vans yet huh?
[…] forum comment section on E-City Beat discussing the upcoming School District Operational Levy, “Do School District Levies Ever Expire?”. A member of the public asks a simple […]