Hello, TFSD Community,

This year the TFSD is pursuing a renewal and increase of the supplemental levy to ensure safe campuses, cover rising costs, and replace state maintenance funding for $7.2 million per year for two years. The District determined that continuing to use this levy would allow the district to maintain programs and focus on school security while being mindful of property tax concerns. 

The levy provides the necessary funding for enhanced school security. The levy pays for school safety personnel like school resource officers, armed elementary security guards, and behavior and safety aids. The TFSD is one of only a few districts in the state that provides armed security personnel at all schools. These are critical components of the TFSD safety and security plan. It is our responsibility as a community to do what we can to ensure that our school campuses are safe places where our students feel welcomed and protected. This has never been more true than it is today.

With roughly 80 percent of the district budget going towards employees, this levy pays for the people who have a direct impact on the academic success of our students and the future success of our community. Roughly 40.5 classified (secretaries, cooks, custodians, and classroom aids), 20 certified (teachers, instructional coaches, and counselors), and 4 administrative staff positions are supported by the supplemental levy. Additionally, the levy provides funding that allows the district to maintain the basic operations of student activities like athletics, band, debate, drama, and choir so that there is no upfront cost to families for their children to participate in these programs. 

The estimated average annual cost to the taxpayer on the proposed $7.2 million levy is a tax of $91 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, per year, based on current conditions. The proposed levy replaces an existing $5.7 million levy that expires on June 30, 2025, and that currently costs $72 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. If the proposed levy is approved, the tax per $100,000 of taxable assessed value is expected to increase by $19 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. The levy will be assessed for two (2) years. The estimated tax impact of the proposed levy equates to $7.58 per month for every $100,000 of taxable property value (after homeowners exemption). This would be an increase of $1.58 per month per $100,000 of taxable value from the current levy rate.

The requested increase is due to increased costs to the District, the end of federal COVID Relief funds, and the loss of state lottery funds historically used to pay for maintenance staff. For more information about the levy, visit https://www.tfsd.org/supplemental-levy/

Please make a plan to vote in this important community decision. There are three ways you can participate: Early in-person voting begins October 15 and runs through November 1. Early voting takes place at Twin Falls County West, 630 Addison Ave. W.  from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Absentee ballot requests are available online at voteidaho.gov. And, Election Day is November. 5. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can find your voting location here: https://elections.sos.idaho.gov/ElectionLink/ElectionLink/ViewPollingLocation.aspx