No headline

I am a member of the Facilities Planning Committee. I do not work for LPOSD, I am not a building expert, I work as a physical therapist. I do volunteer in our schools and have seen first-hand why some of our schools received an “unsatisfactory” rating.

I have spoken to families who almost left our community because they weren’t sure they wanted to live in a place that would allow their children to attend school in such old, rundown buildings. I think the time is long overdue that our students and teachers have a decent place to work and learn.

I do not like the way the state of Idaho funds its school facilities improvements, but this is what we have to work with. For years we have been taxed lower than many other school districts. For example, in 2015-2016, the comparison of total tax rates for Region I school districts ranged from 0.00697 (Mullan) to 0.00111 (Plummer/Worley Joint). The Lake Pend Oreille School District tax rate was 0.00184, well below state average.

Many have asked why we presented a levy instead of a bond. The bottom line for me was the six-year levy cost us less than the 20-year bond. This is a large levy that will provide much needed improvements. We could have voted to improve one school at a time, but it is my feeling that our students and teachers deserve better facilities now, and that the cost of construction will go up and cost us more the longer we wait. I voted that we present to our community the need for these improvements. It is my hope that many in the community will agree with me and vote yes on Aug. 30.

KAREN McCLELLAND

Sandpoint