MCPS Superintendent Micah Hill on Missoula School Mill Levies

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - By now, all Missoula County residents have received their ballots in the mail to fund three levies by the deadline on May 6.

I spoke with Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Micah Hill, who provided details on the levies.

“This year, as in most years, we are voting for operational levies, and there's one for the elementary district and one for the high school district,” began Superintendent Hill.  "Operational levies are what make up the difference between being fully funded and not being fully funded. So the state, in its basic formula, supports schools up to 80 percent of their maximum budget, and the other 20 percent has to be raised locally.”

Hill began by detailing the high school levy.

“We're seeing a high school levy of $164,315,” he said. “That funding helps support staff, salary and benefits, art, music, and physical education, counseling, curriculum, property and liability insurance, basically anything that you can think of as an expense that's incurred by the district is part of our operational levy.”

Hill said the Elementary levy is $384,947, and there is also a $1 million high school safety levy.

“The safety levy is a levy that's dedicated specifically to school safety,” he said. “Last year, we passed an elementary safety Levy, and the safety levy last year for the high school did not pass. So our board asked to run that levy again this year, and that's for upgrading our security infrastructure, including our secure entrances, our camera systems, and our emergency communication systems. It's for increased mental health support services, our school resource officers, training for staff and just maintaining ongoing security.”

Hill broke down the costs of the levies as they pertain to Missoula County households.

“I think the median home price is somewhere around $450,000 for the assessed value (of a home) in Missoula County,” he said. “That's about $2.75 a month for the average household in our district. That's for all three levies. People that live outside of the elementary district boundary will only be seeing the safety levy and the high school operational levy; until that amount would be less for those who live inside the elementary district boundary, it would be for all three of those.”

Hill said if all three levies pass, the tax implications would be $30.56 per year, or only $2.55 per month on a home with an assessed value of $400.000.

According to a press release from Missoula County:

“If the levies do not pass, the District will need to explore alternative ways to balance the budget, which could involve making further reductions in areas supported by the general fund.”

This is a mail-in only election, and no polling places will be open.

All ballots must be properly signed and use the blue ballot secrecy envelope.

Ballots can be dropped off at the Missoula County Elections Center at 140 North Russell, or at the Missoula County Fairgrounds (drive-through only).