MISSOULA — School levies appear on ballots each year because about 20% of funding comes from voter-approved measures.
This year, Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) is asking voters to help fund its budget.
There are two levies on the ballot for MCPS.
One is for elementary schools, and the other is for high schools.
The cost of the elementary levy is $1,356,027, or $6.21 a year for every $100,000 in assessed property value.
The cost of the high school levy is $1,132,187, or $2.77 a year for every $100,000 in assessed property value.
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For MCPS, the levies are critical to operations.
About 90% of its budget goes to salaries and benefits, while the remaining 10% covers other expenses.
"I think it's important for our constituents to know that these dollars support things that are critical to educating kids in today's day and age. So when we talk about services for kids beyond just education, when we're talking about mental health services, and when we're talking about social work services, and when we're talking about some of these other things that we use these dollars for to promote student health well — health, safety, and wellness — those are critical components of all of this as well," Micah Hill, superintendent of MCPS, said.
Ballots will be mailed on Thursday, April 16.
Results will be covered in May.
