Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part two, with part one having appeared in Saturday’s Tribune.
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GRANGEVILLE — “I want to make sure everyone is clear about this: Everybody who lives in a house pays property taxes. I don’t give a damn if they own or not, everybody pays,” patron Joe Rohner emphasized at the Feb. 12 Mountain View School District (MVSD) 244 budget workshop.
Rohner’s comment came after a discussion from MVSD’s special education presentation segued into levy talk.
“This is a two-pronged approach,” patron Lynette Mullins said, stating she personally feels it is time for the board to unite and take the factual levy information to their respective constituents.
“But only the property tax owners pay for that; 11,000 registered voters can vote,” patron Mary Mangold answered.
Another patron in the room of about 35 participants stated that, “Everyone in the community is important — not just the kids in school. If you get to vote and don’t own property, you’re forcing me to pay for it and that’s not right.”
“The landlord gets the tax money from the renter,” Rohner continued. “And right now, they are through the roof because of the real estate explosion and shortage of properties. Everybody pays property taxes. Everybody. Nobody avoids them.”
In this second of four scheduled MVSD budget workshops, the district’s special education director, Amanda Bush, went through the state and federal mandates for special education, explaining IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act) legislation that ensures students with a disability are provided with FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education). She explained the process by which a team of educators decides on how a child is accepted into the special education (“sped”) program.
Bush said MVSD has a “sped” population of about 17%, which is slightly higher than state average. In MVSD, about $1.3 million is spent on “sped.”
Of this, $367,000 to $536,000 is not reimbursed by the state or federal government. (This number is impossible to pinpoint for budgetary reasons, Bush explained, as many formulas go into the funding, depending on a number of items, including how many students are receiving “sped” services and what their needs require).
“I am scared for our ability to handle upcoming numbers,” Bush said, showing a chart of how many students are served by how many educators and paraprofessionals within the district.
She said there is no way to know 100% who the clientele will be from one year to the next.
“We just know we are legally required to provide education for these students,” she said, emphasizing the fact they deserve a quality education.
Patron John Silveria spoke up in reference to a state lawsuit filed in 1990 with findings in 2001 stating the state’s funding system is not sufficient.
“The school board must rise up and make noise; go to the state and say, ‘No! We are no longer going to pay for any special education funds that we are not reimbursed for,’” he said. “Tell them to pound sand. Just try it. Test it out. Then get the town together, carry signs, use bullhorns and get something done. One or two people alone cannot do it.”
“I understand your zeal, but we keep having the same conversations, John,” MVSD board vice chairperson Larry Dunn said. “But we have to keep the lights on, gotta keep the kids going to school.”
Dunn agreed the district needs a lawyer who would take up the case “who won’t bankrupt us” and add other districts in on a lawsuit.
“But in all honesty, going to the state with bullhorns won’t accomplish anything,” he said.
“Let me repeat, unless school boards step up, the legislature is happy for our communities to just keep passing levies,” Silveria said.
Another workshop was held Feb. 17 focusing on professional services, board training and dues and extracurricular activities. The final workshop is set for March 4 at 6 p.m. at the district office, and will highlight salaries, wages and benefits.
— Lorie Palmer, Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville), Wednesday
Orofino approves purchase of parking lot
OROFINO — Orofino’s City Council approved purchase of the parking lot at 250 Main St. in a split vote Feb. 13 to assure that it remained a parking lot for the downtown area.
Those who voted “aye” were Mark Swayne, Jennifer Dunaway, Shannon Schrader and Josh Tilley. The “nays” were from Mike Gladhart and Loretta Stout, who expressed concerns about where the $97,225 of the purchase price would come from since it is not in the current budget and whether that was the wisest use of the funds.
A group of more than 50 investors purchased the property in 1976 to help with the parking issues downtown. Since that time, businesses and individuals have “rented” spaces either for their employees or customers to help relieve parking pressure, according to Dennis Thompson, who has been president of the group since it started. The investors purchased shares that cost $100 each and the building that was there was torn down.
Gladhart expressed concern that property taxes would be used to purchase it and then people would pay for a spot, which would be like double taxing. He was wondering if it should be free parking or only charge enough for maintenance. Schrader said he had had the same question posed to him.
Swayne said he is aware of the situation, but it is an administrative decision that needs to be discussed later. For now, the decision is whether to purchase it or not. Dunaway added that downtown parking is something that the citizens have been asking for for years.
Stout presented information on what the property may be worth and what lease costs would need to be to recoup the cost to the city. It looked at the income approach. She wants to pay what the market will bear.
Tilley said his concern is that if the city does not purchase it and someone else does, that parking could be lost. Dunaway reiterated that parking is what constituents have asked for for a long time.
Thompson said they came up with the price using $8 per square foot with the hope that the city would purchase it and keep it a parking lot. He expressed concern that if it was free parking, people would come with campers and stay there a month. If they were to install meters, the city might as well continue leasing speces, in his opinion.
Stout also expressed the feeling of people that the city is spending too much and budgets keep rising. She also pointed out that people did not show up to the work session the previous week to express their opinions. However, Tilley and Dunaway said that multiple people had approached them over the issue.
Mayor Sean Simmons said there are multiple angles to look at. To lose the parking would be a detriment. It is a valid concern and need. If the parking is not there, more people would park on Johnson Avenue and customers would not be able to find space, so businesses would lose money, close and the city would lose tax money.
The discussion continued with the council, audience and Thompson until Dunaway made the motion to purchase the parking lot and Tilley seconded it.
The matter had also been discussed at length in a work session the week before during which Thompson, along with Donna and Ted Leach, provided more details and background.
Closure of part of Johnson Avenue on Aug. 6 for National Night Out was approved. Police Chief Vince Frazier said law enforcement, fire and ambulance services would be participating. Details have not been worked out, but he wanted to get the date reserved.
A no-cost amendment to the Sewer Master Plan Agreement with J-U-B Engineers was approved. The change provides for getting elevations of the manholes that were not in the original agreement.
Innovative Electric has updated its proposal for changing out the lighting in City Hall and the Fire Department to make it no-cost, matching the proposal of Prettyman Electric.
— Nancy Butler, Clearwater Tribune (Orofino), Wednesday
