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Once again, a supplemental levy, critical to the financial health of the LPOSD, is on the ballot on March 14.

Everyone should understand that this $17 million (over two years) is not a new tax. The old levy, we are currently paying, is $15.8 million. So the replacement levy is an increase of 7.5 percent.

The school district budget for next year, including federal funds, is nearly $32 million, including $8.3 million (less than one half) from the levy. That levy amount represents more than one-fourth of the LPOSD budget.

Imagine if your salary was cut by 25 percent. What sort of damage would that do to your lifestyle? For the school district it will mean closing some schools, consolidating classes in fewer buildings, busing kids from outlying areas into Sandpoint to larger class sizes. Those larger class sizes will make teaching and learning more difficult, which could impact student performance.

The voters have an option. Continue supporting the LPOSD and the community through the supplemental levy or vote no and see what happens. I can promise you it won’t be pretty, doing significant damage to an effective and fiscally responsible education program. The choice is yours.

Vote yes on March 14.

BOB WYNHAUSEN

Sandpoint