General Fund Operating Levies
Montana law requires voter approval for any increase to the amount of “over-base” taxes levied, regardless of the impact on the number of mills levied. The Trustees are requesting an operating levy increase that allows the greatest purchasing power (budget authority) for programs and personnel. This year, the operating levy request is:
High School Annual General Fund Operating Levy ($380,000)
High School District (which includes both Bozeman and Gallatin High attendance areas) tax increase would be approximately $1.73 annually per $100,000 of a home’s assessed market value.
Due to enrollment fluctuations, the Elementary General Fund will be at its cap without additional voter approval.
School Safety Levies
School safety levies provide a dedicated revenue stream for the ongoing costs of school safety, including counselors and School Resource Officers. If approved, safety- related costs would be removed from the General Funds and coded to the safety levies. This structure is part of the District’s plan to reduce pressure on the General Fund budgets (see ‘Budget Reductions’ on the facing page).
The District is requesting a 4-mill safety levy in the Elementary District and a 2-mill safety levy in the High School District.
Summary of Levy Requests on Ballot
High School District Levies Elementary District Levies
Budget Reductions
Bozeman Public Schools worked through a community consensus process to address a K-12 General Fund structural imbalance. Both the Elementary and High School General Fund Budgets are using limited one-time funds to make ends meet—a temporary solution that is not sustainable.
The Board of Trustees approved two plans to address the imbalance. Both plans include the reduction of certified teaching positions in the District. “Plan A” assumes voters approve the proposed safety levies; “Plan B” assumes the safety levies are not approved.
For more information regarding the approved budget reductions see below:
Click HERE for the approved elementary (K-8) reductions
Click HERE for the approved high school (9-12) reductions
