The Billings Public School elementary levy is going to continue even though COVID-19 has resulted in cancellations for many other institutions and various happenings.
School trustees at Billings Public Schools dismissed a proposal that would have canceled the levy. Their reasoning is that the levy is needed in order to help the district power through the current budget crisis, the Billings Gazette reported.
Currently, the K-8 district is in the middle of a budget shortfall that could result in the termination of 40 full-time jobs as well as reducing a number of operational costs in buildings. While the district may have the funds to get through this year, it is unlikely that it will be able to carry on as it has been without raising a substantial amount of money.
Montana law has a requirement that schools reach a minimum budget that utilizes funding from the state as well as local and federal measures. The levy comes from school district voters, who opted to raise additional taxes to exceed that minimum budget.
Superintendent Greg Upham believes that despite of the coronavirus, it is important to continue passing levies.
“Do we need the levy?” Upham said. “Absolutely, yes. At the same time, I am concerned about the people of our community . . . I am concerned about putting pressure on a system that may not be healthy at this point in time.”
Upham said that he was saddened by the reality of the situation.
The trustees, however, were less emotional about the decision, saying that there was not room for not passing the levy.
“I’m not sure that we can defend not running this levy when we have been so adamant that we need this,” trustee Janna Hafer said.
Some individuals have pleaded with the school system to wait on the process while others have pushed for the levy to be carried out.
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