Where Is The Election?
The election will be conducted solely at the Willson School Gymnasium at 404 West Main St., Bozeman, MT. Ballots for voters on the permanent absentee list will be mailed on May 13, 2009, and must be returned by each voter, by mail or in person to the Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder, 311 W. Main St., Room 210 or the Clerk of the District, Bozeman School District Business Office, 404 West Main St., Bozeman, MT 59771-0520, during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), weekdays, May 13, 2009 through June 2, 2009.
On Election Day, June 2, 2009, all ballots must be turned into the election judges by 8:00 p.m. in order to be counted. All ballots will be tallied in the office of the Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder after 8:00 p.m. on June 2, 2009.
Who is Eligible To Vote?
Registered voters, 18 years of age, resident of the school district. Must have registered to vote by May 4, 2009.
What Are The Issues?
General Fund Levy
The Montana Legislature has provided increases in funding for schools. However, in order to take full advantage of the amounts approved by the legislature it is necessary for districts to ask voters to approve a portion of their operating budgets.
Montana law sets both minimum and maximum spending limits for the general fund budgets of schools. The spending limits are calculated independently for each district using legislatively determined entitlements. As the entitlements and the number of students increase, the minimum and maximum budget amounts increase. Currently both the Bozeman elementary and high school general fund budgets are at the maximum allowed by law.
The funding for the minimum budget comes from a combination of state and local dollars. The funding for the portion of a district's budget between the minimum and maximum comes primarily from local property taxes. The voters of the district must approve any increase in dollars needed for that portion of the general fund budget over the minimum.
General Fund Ballot Language
- Shall the district be authorized to impose an increase in local taxes to support the general fund in the amount of one hundred seventy thousand dollars ($170,000), which is approximately 1.53 mills for the purpose of properly maintaining and operating the programs of the district?
Passage of this proposal will increase the annual taxes on a home with a market value of $100,000 by approximately $3.04 and on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $6.08. The durational limit of the levy is permanent once approved by the voters, assuming the district levies that amount each year thereafter. However, lowering over-BASE tax levies in any year will lower the amount of permissively over-BASE levies in subsequent years.
Building Reserve Transition Levy
Montana Law allows districts, with voter approval, to assess a Transition Levy for the purpose of raising money for the opening of new school buildings. The levy can be for the duration of up to 6 years and cannot exceed 5% of the District's General Fund budget. The Board is requesting the levy for only two years and only about 2% of the General Fund budget.
Building Reserve Transitional Levy Ballot Language
- Shall the district be authorized to impose an additional levy each year for two years to add to the building reserve fund of Bozeman Elementary School District No. 7 to raise a total of one million dollars ($1,000,000) ($500,000 per year for two years), which is approximately 4.5 mills, for the purpose of transition costs resulting from the opening of Hyalite Elementary School?
Passage of this proposal will increase the annual taxes on a home with a value of $100,000 by approximately $8.94 and on a home with a value of $200,000 by approximately $17.88. The durational limit of the levy is two years.
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