Rural schools consider technology levies

Several rural Gallatin County schools are taking advantage of a new state law that authorizes
them to ask taxpayers for money to buy and keep up computers.

By NICK GEVOCK Chronicle Staff Writer

"We figured this is a good start to help to build this fund," said Linda Dean, clerk at Monforton
School, which is asking voters to pass a $15,000 annual technology mill levy. The School
Board "thought it was something our voters would support because it certainly affects their kids."

Monforton district residents would pay an additional $11.13 on a $100,000 market value home
if the levy is approved.

Also putting technology funds before taxpayers are Bozeman, Belgrade, Anderson and Ophir
schools.

Even though Anderson School landed a $88,000 state grant last year for computers, the school
is requesting $12,500 a year for technology.

The technology fund, which would cost $16.45 for every $100,000 of taxable real estate value,
is needed to maintain those new computers, said Anderson clerk Linda Svensrud.

"You buy all this expensive equipment, and if you don’t maintain it, it’s kind of wasted," she
said.

Lawmakers passed a bill last year allowing schools to tax specifically to buy, rent and maintain
computers and network equipment. Belgrade school superintendent Herb Benz said the
technology levy is a good idea.

"There’s quite a backlog of equipment that is so old that some of the software won’t even run
on it," he said of Belgrade’s computers. "There never was a fund to finance what is basically a
new area of education."

Belgrade is asking for $62,500 for it’s elementary school and the same amount for the high
school. Both levies are roughly 3.5 mills and would cost taxpayers just over $8 per year each for
every $100,000 in taxable value.

Benz said the district plans to offset those tax hikes by lowering the bus depreciation fund
because it has a decent reserve built up.

Ophir School is putting a technology fund of $38,600 per year before voters to replace old
computers. That 4 mill levy would amount to about $9 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

Some rural schools, however, held off on the technology tax because they fear asking for a
special tax would sink general fund levies.

"It might be something we have to do in the future. But for now we’re not going to worry about
it," said Three Forks School clerk Patti Raffety.

County School Superintendent Jill Richards said she can empathize with school’s anxiety over
the general fund levy failing if voters feel they are being hit with too much.

"It’s hard to say, oh, by the way, here’s this other thing," Richards said. "The general fund is so
crucial, it’s like saying that’s your food budget in your house."

That concern of taxpayer sticker shock is compounded by the fact that many rural elementary
school districts are in the Bozeman High School district, Richards said. Those voters would be
asked to pony up twice were their elementary to ask for computer money.

It’s unfortunate that some people believe schools should be run like a business, Richard’s said,
because knowledge of computers is vital in today’s world but often overlooked in schools.

"In a business if you invest in technology, you usually get some kind of financial reward," she
said. "In education you don’t have anything tangible to show for it."

Nick Gevock is at [email protected]

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