Committee advances bill to allow school levies up to six years, phase out perpetual levies

Senator Ben Taze introduced Senate Bill 1094 to extend the authorized length of supplemental levies for school districts from two years to as long as six years and to phase out perpetual (indefinite-term) levies for new approvals. "It's essentially moving the levy time period from 2 years to 6 years," Taze said, adding that boards would retain authority to reduce a levy during an authorized period. The bill also eliminates perpetual levies going forward while preserving existing perpetual levies that were grandfathered.

Jimmy McAndrew, a Coeur d'Alene School District trustee, testified remotely in support and said the current two-year cycle consumes administration and board time and makes district budgeting and teacher recruiting more difficult. "We're having our administration every couple of years spend a ridiculous amount of time on what if budgets and essentially campaigning where their time and resources could be better well spent," McAndrew said. He argued longer levies would provide staffing stability and reduce repeated voter outreach costs.

Quinn Perry, deputy director of the Idaho School Boards Association, said more than 80% of Idaho districts rely on supplemental levies for day-to-day operations and called the bill a compromise that preserves voter choice while providing more budget stability. Perry said six districts hold grandfathered perpetual levies and that the bill would bar future perpetual levies while allowing districts to choose the length and timing of levies. The committee voted to send SB 1094 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation.