Ten Million Dollar Tax Levy Approved For Bemidji School District

Ten millions dollars. That’s the proposed tax levy for the 2016 to 2017 school year. The total operating budget would be nearly 70 million. That number comes from four categories: local, state, federal and other.

“The legislature passes the laws and gives the school board the authority to levy taxes,” said Chris J. Leinen, Business Services Director. “Or the voters vote a referendum in place that can affect a school levy as well.”

The school board held its meeting tonight and voted unanimously to approve the budget.

“Tuck pointing and roofs and boilers and issues like that on an ongoing basis where we will have the ability to issue debt and pay that over time if we decide to do a major project,” said Leinen.

The levy limitation would increase by almost ten percent compared to last year. Student enrollment plays a major factor in school funding.

“If we have increasing enrollment that will generate additional dollars for us,” said Leinen.

A special program was also introduced during the meeting. Alice training can help save lives by offering an alternate solution to shelter in place during an attack on campus.

“It became very evident that this is the way to go instead of being that victim mode it gave you the survivor mentality,” said Ranae Seykora, Bemidji High School assistant principal. “Of if there was someone who was going to commit an act of violence that we had choices or options.”

This green bucket can be used as a restroom, the tarp if you ever need to break a window so you won’t cut yourself on glass and toilet paper always helps.

Although the public wasn’t in attendance Ranae is still hopeful this plan will be enforced and empower students.