BOZEMAN — Bozeman voters recently received ballots packed with important items, and with so much included, it can be confusing to know exactly where the funding up for a vote would go.
Bozeman Public Schools Superintendent Casey Bertram says voter turnout for school elections tends to be low.
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“I certainly can't tell people how to vote, but I can tell you to vote,” Bertram says. “Around 40%, even though we mail ballots to every registered voter."
Montana schools receive about 80% of their funding from the state, but when it comes to covering all expenses, including inflation, districts often rely on local voter support.
“To get to your full funding, full inflationary cap of 3% this year, you have to go to the voters for that final 20%,” Bertram says.
This year, Bozeman voters are deciding on three major items:
- An elementary general fund levy
- A high school general fund levy
- A building reserve levy
Bertram says about 90% of the general fund levy would go toward paying staff salaries.
“We know that that $490,000 when spread across our 1200 employees doesn't keep up with cost of living in Bozeman, but certainly we want to maximize the dollars for all of our individual employees,” he says.
The building reserve levy would help maintain the district’s ten K-8 buildings. Bertram says there is already a building reserve levy in place, but it expires in June. The new proposal would be about $300,000 higher.
“About 15% of just inflation, things cost more, especially in the building world than they did six years ago,” Bertram says.
He explains the funding would cover both visible upgrades and behind-the-scenes improvements.
“Playground updates, sidewalk repairs, things of that nature. And then a lot of behind-the-scenes things like HVAC system upgrades, boiler replacements, and electrical and plumbing upgrades, those types of items,” Bertram says.
If the building reserve levy does not pass, Bertram says the district would face difficult decisions.
“One, we either don't do those projects and you end up getting a long list of deferred maintenance in the school district. Or two, we continue to do those projects but then they compete for those general fund dollars, so then we are making decisions like, are we replacing the boiler or adding salary and benefit increases?” Bertram says.
For taxpayers, Bertram says the overall impact would be relatively small. With the average home value in Bozeman around $760,000, he says the cost would stay low after existing levies expire.
“On a million-dollar home in Bozeman, it would cost about $87.50 a year, but what's coming off the tax rolls is $76.10, so that million-dollar home for the building reserve is only $11.40 a year,” Bertram says.
Ballots must be returned by May 6 at 8 p.m.
