Support school's technology levy

On Tuesday, May 8, the school district will ask voters to approve a levy specifically targeted to the purchase and maintenance of technology within the four buildings comprising the school districts.

The Whitefish School Districts (combined elementary and high school districts), has recently valued their technology, inclusive of all equipment that makes it possible to provide computer access to our students, teachers and administration, at the sum of $822,500.

In the 2005-2006 school years, approximately $95,000 was budgeted for maintenance and purchase of technology. In previous years, the district has been able to fund these expenditures through the general budget, our primary funding source for paying personnel, textbook purchases and utility bills for the district buildings.

The ability to free the general budget from technology purchases will provide a double dividend for Whitefish students, including the continuation of better technology, leading to high student achievement and the ability of the district to continue to use general budget funds to keep classes small.

The impact of the levy to the property owner is very reasonable. The combined elementary-high school levy on a taxable home (not market value) of $200,000 is $17.00 per year or $1.40 per month.

The technology levy, if passed, is renewable in future years. In the school board's unanimous decision to request the levy on the ballot, trustees requested that an annual needs assessment be performed before future levies to insure there is in fact a continued need for such a levy.

Recent trends also point to a lowering of the annual cost associated with levies to the taxpayer based upon the increased value and continued development within the Whitefish School District.

In my years on the school board, I have seen remarkable growth in providing technology to our students and staff. The success of an up to date curriculum with continued high student achievement is dependent on a sustainable budget providing technology funding.

Please support this very important levy request.

David Fern is the chairman of the Whitefish School District.