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Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kalispell Public Schools to operate on $90.7M budget
Aug. 20—Kalispell Public Schools will have $90.7 million for operations during the 2025-26 school year, which administrators say will leave them with a stable high school budget, but a tight elementary district budget. State funding and taxpayer money are the primary sources of revenue for the district's budgeted funds, the largest being the general fund. Property taxes accounted for about 33% of funding for the elementary district budget and 32.9% of the high school budget. The elementary district will operate on a $43.96 million budget, a percentage increase of 6.2% from the 2024-25 budget. Despite the bump, Kalispell Public Schools Finance Director Chris Campbell said the budget may face a deficit, even after the elimination of about 15 full-time-equivalent positions. "We'll probably face an ongoing challenge on the elementary side indefinitely, until we see some kind of structural, legislative changes. But for this year, they'll be very, very tight," he said during a presentation at an Aug. 12 board meeting before the budget adoption. The high school district budget totals $46.74 million, a percentage increase of 9.5% over the last school year's budget. The budget is stable, Campbell said, thanks in part to the passage of the $2.97 million general fund levy in May, which helped prevent the elimination of about 20 full-time-equivalent positions. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING agreements continue through the 2025-26 school year, with certified staff receiving a 10% increase to the base salary and a 2% increase at the top. A first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree will earn a $47,713 salary, for example. Non-union employees will receive a 3% increase for 2025-26. Kalispell Public Schools ratified the certified staff contract, anticipating that the Student and Teacher Advancement for Results and Success Act, also known as the STARS Act, would earn the Legislature's approval. The act incentivizes Montana school districts to raise teachers' starting salaries in addition to fully funding the Advanced Opportunities Act, which affects dual credit and work-based learning. The act was signed into law in May and will provide financial relief to the tune of about $900,000 for the elementary district and about $800,000 for the high school district, Campbell said. "... It was a bet and a risk and one that paid off," he said. Campbell reiterated the disparity of the state funding formula between elementary and high schools, noting that the district receives $1,450 less per pupil in elementary school compared to the high school level. He said this is compounded by accreditation standards that require smaller class sizes in the elementary grades, necessitating more staff. Campbell and Superintendent Mark Jensen said they have not been provided with a rationale as to why less funding is given to educate elementary students. At the state level, a decennial school funding interim study is underway. State law requires a school funding interim commission, made up of legislators and members of the public, be formed every 10 years to "to reassess the educational needs and costs related to the basic system of free quality public elementary and secondary schools; and if necessary, recommend to the following Legislature changes to the state's funding formula." In addition to budgeted funds, the elementary and high school districts hold cash funds. Cash funds fluctuate and cover food service, student activities, traffic education and health insurance, for example. An interlocal fund is also under cash funds. The interlocal fund contains year-end money from the elementary and high school districts and may be spent on various projects with board approval. The current balance of the interlocal fund is $2.7 million. Since the interlocal fund was put into place in 2011, the district has used it like a savings account of sorts to accumulate money over time to fund large projects, purchases and other expenses. It has also been used to cover shortfalls and float a loan to the district's self-funded insurance program. TO ADDRESS budget sustainability, Kalispell Public Schools is proposing changes to how it handles staffing levels and maintenance and building expenses, which Campbell outlined at the August board meeting. Regarding staffing — the district's biggest expense — administrators are working on creating staffing metrics. The goal of the metrics is to "allow for incremental adjustments, not crisis corrections; provide an objective framework to evaluate future staffing decisions that are transparent, and fiscally responsible; provide consistency and equity in line with enrollment at each building." The district anticipates completing middle and high school instructional metrics in September. Once completed, the creation of custodial, maintenance, clerical and other support staff metrics will get underway. The district proposes reviewing staff levels in February, after the second statewide official enrollment count is completed (the first is taken in October). State funding is tied directly to enrollment. "Once that second count is done, we really have a very, very, good idea of what our budget will be for the coming year and we can kind of evaluate our staffing ratios based on current enrollment," Campbell said. "Whether it's adding or reducing, really, in an effort to avoid any significant types of corrections like we had to do this past year," he added. Kalispell Public Schools also plans to bring district-level oversight to capital expenditures over $25,000, along with asking school sites to submit needs and wants to further improve financial stability as one of Flathead County's largest employers. The requests and projects would then be prioritized district-wide to ensure critical needs are addressed over lower-priority projects, which has been an issue in the past, allowing for multi-year planning. Requests would be collected through a standardized form posted in September, with submissions closed in October of a given school year. In November, the district would review and prioritize requests and conduct the bidding process from January through April. The suggested timeline would allow the district to earmark money 14 months in advance to better inform the district of fixed costs and operational budgets. In his budget summary, Campbell said the district will need to use general funds, building reserve funds and technology funds to address significant deferred maintenance and safety issues. Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@ Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah Rep. Maloy proposes way to honor the nation's 250th birthday
WASHINGTON — Visitors could enjoy national parks for free on next year's Constitution Day to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary under a new proposal introduced by Utah Rep. Celeste Maloy this week. The Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites, or STARS Act, would direct the secretary of the Interior to designate Constitution Day as an 'entrance-fee free day' at all National Park Service sites next year. If passed, it would open the gates on Sept. 17, 2026, for all visitors to commemorate the 250th birthday of the United States. 'How do you properly celebrate 250 years of freedom? Maybe the best way is to spend time in what Wallace Stegner called 'the best idea we ever had'— our national parks,' Maloy said in a statement. The bill would open access to more than 400 sites across the country, including national parks, battleground sites, monuments and other cultural landmarks. By waiving entrance fees, Maloy said it highlights the role of public lands in U.S. history and 'honors the legacy of freedom, resilience, and patriotism that began in 1776.' Constitution Day is a federal holiday marking the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, marking the day the delegates signed the document at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The holiday is observed every year to celebrate those who have become U.S. citizens. If passed, Maloy's proposal would join other mass efforts next year to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. President Donald Trump earlier this month launched America250, a campaign promise to celebrate the country's 250th birthday with a yearlong celebration. America250 began at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on July 3 and several states, including Utah, have ongoing events to mark the occasion.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gianforte presses Legislature to pass property tax relief bills during Kalispell visit
Apr. 24—Despite an ongoing legislative stalemate, Gov. Greg Gianforte stuck firmly to his vision for fiscal relief at a press conference in Kalispell on Wednesday. While visiting the Rancher's Daughter, an Idaho Street farm-to-table retailer, Gianforte unveiled a poster outlining key agenda items from his 2025 State of the State address. "We can't check off property taxes or income taxes yet," he acknowledged. "Or the budget or judicial reform." The solitary success on the board was higher teacher starting pay. Gianforte checked off the box before a crowd of about a dozen people, saying he plans to sign the STARS Act, which contributes $100 million toward raising teacher starting pay, after the Senate passed it on Tuesday. As far as his fiscal objectives for the state, Gianforte maintained that "there's still time" for bills to reach his desk before the Legislature's May 5 deadline. Gianforte declined to comment on the bills currently awaiting his review, including an income tax bill introduced by Speaker of the House Brandon Ler, R-Savage. Instead, he focused on the property tax legislation currently under debate in the House and Senate. "As I said, we have very clear priorities. We need to give property tax relief. I think it needs to be permanent, meaningful, and it's got to be targeted to Montana homeowners, renters and small businesses," said Gianforte. The governor's proposal, which raises taxes on second homes and short-term rentals while reducing them on primary residences and long-term rental properties, is among the bills still in contention. As to the financial burdens Montanans may face because of the tariffs levied during the ongoing trade war initiated by the Trump administration, Gianforte acknowledged there would likely be "a little disruption." A report from the Budget Lab at Yale estimates that the tariffs put in place on April 2 alone will cost U.S. households an average of $2,100 per year. But he argued that the tariffs, which are a tax on imported goods, would benefit businesses and consumers in the long run. "I think the president's been very clear. He's using tariffs as a negotiation tool," said Gianforte. Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at hsmalley@ or 758-4433.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Major education bill advances, would boost starting teacher pay
Photo illustration by Getty Images. Sen. John Fuller championed a $55 million education bill by reminding the Senate of his fiscally conservative values. 'Some of you may know that I'm so tight, I squeak when I walk, but I do support public education, and I support it fiercely,' Fuller, R-Kalispell, said on Tuesday. Sen. Sara Novak, a Democrat from Anaconda, said House Bill 252 isn't perfect, but it's a step in the right direction, and it will help especially small rural schools and young educators. 'It is some much-needed funding to our public schools to directly impact our teacher wages and specifically our beginning teacher wages,' Novak said. The Senate voted 40-10 in favor of the STARS Act, or Student and Teacher Advancement for Results, sending it to the Senate Finance and Claims Committee for a closer fiscal analysis. It's among the bills to help public schools that one supporter said bolsters education without adding undue stress to already beleaguered residential property taxpayers. Montana has struggled to increase starting teacher pay, and a proposal from the 2023 legislative session didn't work as planned. Backed by the Governor's Office, HB 252 earned bipartisan support, although some critics said it doesn't do enough for veteran teachers, who also need to be paid well. Sponsor and Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, has said the bill aims to fix an ongoing problem, which is low pay for beginning teachers, and the state doesn't have unlimited funds. The bill would spend more than $110 million from the general fund in the biennium, according to the most recent fiscal analysis. It also has other provisions to support education, such as incentives for academic achievement for students and tools to help teachers in areas with high housing costs. After the Senate floor vote, Lance Melton, with the Montana School Boards Association, said funding proposals before the legislature, including the STARS Act, have been written to guard against a spike in local property taxes. Property tax income goes in part toward public schools. 'All of those proposals have two — front and center — primary stakeholders, the child and the taxpayer,' Melton said. The fiscal analysis estimates an increase to local school property taxes of $800,000 a year, but those dollars are associated with housing support voters might approve through local levies, not incentives for teachers. Melton pointed also to House Bill 483 and House Bill 515, which both passed out of the House with bipartisan support and are in the Senate. Sponsored by Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, HB 483 would take any revenue growth that exceeds the state's obligation to a school equalization fund and return it to taxpayers. It has other Republicans and Democrats as co-sponsors and passed with a bipartisan 87-11 vote out of the House. House Bill 515, sponsored by Rep. Linda Reksten, R-Polson, would in part help schools with major maintenance costs without asking property taxpayers for a levy or a bond. On the House floor, Reksten said it has support from the Governor's Office. She said the bill transfers $75 million of one-time-only money from the general fund surplus to fill the school facilities trust fund — without affecting property taxpayers. It passed out of the House on a bipartisan 73-25 vote.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Montana Federation of Public Employees members rally at Capitol
Amanda Curtis, president of the Montana Federation of Public Employees, describes successes of the union at the 2025 Montana Legislature, urges more union members to run for office. (Keila Szpaller/The Daily Montanan) 'Union busting bills' and a school voucher bill that threatened to siphon $100 million from public schools were on the table earlier this session, said Amanda Curtis, president of the Montana Federation of Public Employees. And back in February, the state pay play wasn't scheduled for a hearing in the Senate yet, she said. But despite snowstorms and single digit temperatures, union members showed up to engage with lawmakers, Curtis said. 'Because we broke bread and had thoughtful, one-on-one conversations with legislators of both parties, we won,' Curtis told a few dozen rally-goers. She said union members helped push off unfriendly bills and pulled the pay plan forward.. At a rally Friday at the Capitol with, at most, 18 days left in the session, Curtis praised the work union members had done, including 22 MFPE members who serve in the Montana Legislature. The MFPE is the largest union in the state with more than 20,000 members. Rep. Eric Matthews, D-Bozeman, said the legislature has passed the pay plan, and it's a fair one. Matthews, a teacher, said the STARS Act, a comprehensive bill addressing starting teacher pay, still needs to pass, but it's a positive proposal. The Student and Teacher Advancement for Results and Success Act, House Bill 252, passed the House 88-9 and is making its way through the Senate. 'We still have to get the STARS Act out, which will definitely help the education system across Montana,' Matthews said. Rep. Denise Baum, D-Billings, said Montana's pensions are healthy, and they need to resist attacks. She said 73% of public employees report they would be more likely to leave their work if their pensions are cut. Baum, a recently retired detective with the Billings Police Department, also urged Gov. Greg Gianforte to sign Senate Bill 7, which she said helps correct a wrong from last session. The bill revises the retirement criteria for some law enforcement officers. Instead of being eligible after 20 years of service and at the age of 50, it allows an officer to tap their retirement after reaching just one of the criteria. The bill passed the legislature and is headed to Gianforte's desk. A spokesperson for the Governor's Office did not respond to an email for comment about the governor's planned action. Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-Helena, praised increases in the pay plan, including a minimum $10,400 for employees working for the state of Montana and the university system over the course of three years, 'raises exceeding anything that has been there in the past two decades.' 'Hear me when I say that public employees in Montana deserve the pay plans that we have negotiated,' Cohenour said. 'We deserve so much more. 'We are the people that Montanans go to when they need help starting a business, when they're trying to find a job, when they're trying to get back on their feet, when their roads need plowed, and when they're experiencing a health crisis. We make families successful in communities across Montana.' At the rally, Curtis also encouraged other union members to run for office in the future, even though '22 member legislators may be unheard of.' 'We need reinforcements in 2027, and it doesn't matter what party you identify with,' Curtis said. 'If you believe that public service is a public good, if you believe that we must support public employees, if you believe that working people should have a voice and protections at work, we need you in this Capitol building.'
