The Helena Public School District is proposing more than $3.4 million in levies that will go before voters on a May 5 ballot. Ballots were mailed last Friday, and the county elections office recommends that voters have their ballots in the mail by Thursday, April 30, to ensure they are received in time.  The Helena Board of Trustees last month approved the three levy requests: a general fund operational levy for the district’s elementary schools and technology levies for the elementary and high schools, totaling $3,403,618.  Here’s what to know about what the district is asking voters to fund, and how much each levy would cost Helena property owners. ELEMENTARY OPERATIONAL The elementary operational levy, proposed at $953,618 per year, is intended to address a 20% funding gap between state allocations and district expenses for school operations, according to the district. Funds generated by the levy would specifically support curriculum programs, purchasing school supplies and staff retention.  If approved, residents with properties valued at $300,000 would see their tax bill increase by $15.48 per year. Properties valued at $600,000 would have a tax increase of $33.06 per year, according to ballot language.  The operational levy would generate additional revenue for the districts’ elementary and middle schools’ general funds, which are used primarily to pay for staff and teacher salaries, along with insurance and other bills that keep schools running.  TECHNOLOGY The elementary technology levy is proposed at $1.6 million per year for the next 10 years, and the high school technology levy is requested at $850,000 per year for the next 10 years. Voters approved the last technology levy, which was perpetual, in 2004.  If the two technology levies are passed, funds would go toward paying for the district’s existing technology infrastructure, replacing equipment and maintaining software licensing and security and network systems, all of which have increased in cost over the past two decades, according to school officials.  “[Technology] operations and licensing infrastructure is not about buying more devices,” Superintendent Rex Weltz said in a podcast produced by the school district last month. “We recognize screen time is a concern and we limit that down in the early [elementary grades]. We’re not asking for more screen time, we are asking to run the infrastructure that connects us to the world.”  In other words, the district says the levies would pay for technological infrastructure that support staff, teachers and students through their day-to-day needs. Those include commercial-grade internet, email networks, student information systems and devices that contribute to safety and security, Weltz and district director of educational technology Gary Myers said. Security cameras and door access controls to all buildings across elementary, middle and high schools rely on the district’s $1 million technology fund. The revenue for that pot of money is generated from the levy passed nearly 22 years ago.  Currently, district technology costs range from $3 million to $4 million a year, according to Myers. Weltz said those costs are now “eating into” the district’s general fund.“Eating into it is kind of an understatement,” Myers added. ”We have our existing technology levy, about $500,000 in each district, the elementary and high school district, and we need, in order to keep our infrastructure operations and licensing running, we need close to $4 million a year to do it.” Residents with properties valued at $300,000 would see their taxes increase by $25.97 annually, while those with properties valued at $600,000 would see their taxes increase by $55.47 annually if voters approve the elementary technology levy. If voters approve the high school technology levy, residents with properties valued at $300,000 would see their taxes increase by $12.59 a year, and those with properties valued at $600,000 would see their taxes increase by $26.89 a year. THE DISTRICT’S PITCH Last spring, voters approved a $293,681 elementary operational levy but rejected the two technology levy requests.  In the March podcast episode, Weltz said, he is aware that other AA districts are facing similar challenges and are also appealing to voters to help support school expenses through levies. Weltz acknowledged that voters might be frustrated by the latest requests and said that he will continue to advocate for funding support at the state level during the next legislative session. But until then, he said, the district’s budgetary needs “can’t wait.”  “We don’t take this lightly and asking for [taxpayer support] is a heavy burden,” Weltz said. “But also know that I’m not asking for me. I’m asking for 7,500 students and nearly 1,000 staff members.” The post What to know about the latest $3.4 million Helena school levies appeared first on Montana Free Press. ...read more read less