Voters in West Bonner School District reject levy again

A one-year, $4.6 million levy for West Bonner School District failed in Tuesday’s election.

The levy failed with 45.76% of the vote. A similar measure failed a year ago, plunging the rural North Idaho district into financial trouble.

Interim Superintendent Joe Kren said he is finalizing contingency options he will present to the school board next week.

Kren said some argued the district didn’t really need a levy because it got by this year without one. Kren said that is because the district relied on the last of its COVID-19 pandemic emergency dollars and fund balance.

“Now all that money is gone,” Kren said.

The levy would have included funding for salaries and benefits, long-neglected building maintenance and the entire athletics and extracurricular budget.

Board members hoped that making it a one-year levy rather than two would be more palatable to the voters.