Lakeland schools seek five-year plant facilities levy on May 19 ballot

Lakeland Joint School District voters will decide on Tuesday, May 19, whether to approve a five-year plant facilities levy that would bring in up to $3 million a year beginning July 1, 2026. The money would support schools in Rathdrum, Athol, Spirit Lake, Garwood and Twin Lakes, where the district says building needs are too large to cover with routine upkeep alone.

The tax impact is central to the vote. The district’s calculator estimates the levy at $30.24 per year for every $100,000 of taxable assessed value, before property-tax relief is applied. Idaho’s homeowner exemption is $125,000, which lowers the taxable base for eligible owner-occupied homes and can reduce the practical bill for many homeowners.

Because Lakeland spans both Kootenai and Bonner counties, clerks in both counties are administering the election, and Kootenai County has already listed the Lakeland Joint School District No. 272 question on the May 19 Primary Election ballot. The levy needs 55% approval to pass.

District facilities data show why the request is being framed as a maintenance measure rather than a new program. Lakeland says its facilities department is responsible for 15 buildings and 11 schools totaling more than 800,000 square feet, along with 550 HVAC units, about 30 miles of sidewalks and more than 200 acres of grass. The oldest campus, Mountain View School, was built in 1937, while the newest, Twin Lakes Elementary, opened in 2007.

If approved, the levy would pay for facility improvements, safety upgrades and ongoing maintenance across the district, including preventive maintenance, security improvements, window and door replacements, and electrical and plumbing work. If it fails, those needs will be pushed back, adding to deferred maintenance that can become more expensive when it turns into a breakdown or emergency repair.

The vote follows a string of earlier levy fights. Lakeland’s last plant facilities levy expired June 30, 2025. In May 2023, voters narrowly approved a two-year, $1.146 million-per-year plant facilities levy after an earlier six-year proposal at the same annual amount drew about 49% support. District records also show some of that 2023 money paid for a replacement fence at Kiefer Field, where the old fence dated to 1965.

Superintendent Rusty Taylor has said the district is trying to stay ahead of repairs instead of waiting for systems to fail. The district has also used a town hall page and video series featuring facilities director Tim Haag, operations supervisor Adam Wilson and school principals to explain what the earlier levy funded and what aging HVAC and electrical systems still need. Assistant Superintendent Jake Massey said the board planned a workshop to map out year-by-year priorities if voters approved the request, giving taxpayers a clearer sense of how the money would be spent.