Voters in Cambridge School District asked to renew supplemental levy

Trustees with the Cambridge School District are asking patrons to renew a two-year supplemental levy that expired on June 30.
 The school board approved a resolution in April authorizing a special election on Aug. 25 at polling locations in the school district. The levy would raise $100,000 annually for two years for a total of $200,000. It requires a simple majority of votes in favor to pass.
 According to the language that will appear on the ballot, the average annual cost to taxpayers in the school district would be $46.21 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value if the supplemental levy is approved.
 Cambridge superintendent Anthony Butler said proceeds from the levy will be used for general maintenance and operations. If the supplemental levy does not pass next month, the district would be forced to use plant facility levy funds for general maintenance and care of grounds and buildings.
 The supplemental levy was last approved by voters in May of 2018 and under state law must be renewed every two years. In 2018, the levy amount was $80,000 annually for two years for a total of $160,000.
 The school district, which takes in part of Washington County and the Indian Valley area of Adams County, has an enrollment of about 130 students, Only voters residing within the school district boundaries will vote on the supplemental levy.
 In 2019, voters in the school district approved a separate plant facilities levy with the revenue earmarked for upgrades to school building projects and deferred maintenance on facilities. The plant and facilities levy raises $100,000 annually for five years for a total of $500,000.
 Some of the needed work to be paid for with plant levy funds in the future includes siding on the north side of the elementary school, painting the ag shop and gym, replacing flooring in multiple classrooms, replacement of worn out appliances and other projects.
 During the 2019-2020 school year, according to the superintendent, the district was able to repair leaking gas lines and valves in the middle/high school and gym. A below-ground water leak in the band room wall was fixed. The blue and orange 14-passenger bus was repaired and the district was able to buy a used 14-passenger bus. A tractor for snow removal and other maintenance needs was purchased.
 Property taxes actually decreased in the Cambridge School District in 2019 when a 20-year bond was paid off and the debt was retired. The bond measure raised more than $3 million to build the new middleschool/high school in Cambridge.
 The district had been making an annual payment on the bond of $250,000 per year since 1999. The final payment on the bond in 2019 totaled $230,000. Once the bond was paid off, property owners within the district were no longer levied $114.40 per $100,000 of taxable value annually to make the payments.