State facility funds reduce Lakeland levy by $4 million, trustees told

District finance staff told the Lakeland Joint School District board that the district received $4,000,000 this year from the state school district facility fund under recently changed allocations and used it to reduce the local supplemental levy obligation. Assistant Superintendent Jake Massey (presenting financial information) and other staff described how the facility fund—fed by state revenue streams such as portions of lottery and sales tax collections—can offset levies that pay for capital and facilities maintenance. The district reported the $4 million reduced the levy taxpayers would otherwise pay from a ballot-authorized $7.52 million to a levied amount of $3.52 million. Why it matters: The fund distribution has fluctuated in prior years (district official provided historical figures of $1.7 million and $2.3 million in prior rounds). Staff emphasized that the $4 million is a one‑year allocation and cautioned it may not recur at the same level next year because state revenues are volatile. Discussion vs. decision: The presentation was informational. Trustees asked for more detail on the components of the state funding and whether the state provided a breakdown (lottery, sales tax, other). Staff said the State Department of Education and Idaho Association of School Business Officials had discussed the distribution and that a breakdown could be shared at a future board meeting. Details: Staff said the facility fund must be used for facility maintenance or to reduce bond or levy obligations, and that the district reported the $4 million deposit has already been received and was reflected on the district financial pages. The district will reflect the funding on its L2 levy form to ensure counties levy the authorized amount only. Next steps: Trustees asked staff to bring a state-provided breakdown of the facility fund sources and the staff committed to do so at a future board meeting and to publish updated levy amounts on the district’s financial transparency page.