BEND, OR -- Bend-La Pine Schools is considering a five-year local option levy for the May ballot. “It would bring in approximately $23-million in its first year to support the programs that our community says that they want,” School Board chair Melissa Barnes - Dholakia says a survey taken last year identified issues the community wants addressed. “They want to see more investment in career and technical education. Other things include maintaining class sizes, support for our struggling students, and then they also want to have robust course offerings,” she tells KBND News the proposed tax is $1 per thousand dollars of assessed value, “This has really been a board directed investigation and exercise. And I think what we're finding from our public is that the public is supportive at that rate.”
The board and administration have researched the levy for a year. “Really in Bend- La Pine schools, what we've heard is that our community wants more from its schools and unfortunately the state doesn't fund it,” she says, adding they’re optimistic the levy, which is separate from the current bond paying for building construction and maintenance, will pass, “Our public is really invested in making sure that all of our students leave our schools with a pathway for their future.” The board could decide at their February 27th meeting to put the levy on this May’s ballot.
