Support public schools by voting no on HB 39

Dear editor,
 
I would like to speak to the issue of HB 39 which is in reference to school vouchers, the bill proposed last week in the Idaho Legislature in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. My name is Linda Strain, and I was born and raised in Weiser, Idaho and have lived in Washington County nearly a lifetime.  I went to school in Weiser and graduated from WHS in 1973. My children were educated in Weiser and both graduated by 2001. They experienced schools that were fully funded prior to the downturn of school funding that began on or around 2003.  Since that time schools have been funded less and less over the years, not funded fully as the Idaho Constitution Requires. This has left our school programs and facilities with deteriorating conditions, and our students and teachers left behind to struggle.  Idaho's Schools rank 50th in the U.S. for per student funding.  These struggles effect our communities and the education of our children. 
 
This message is for our District 9 legislators in Washington County.  Our schools are in most cases the largest employer for many within our communities and I do have those numbers.
 
Weiser School District serves 1465 students enrolled, of those 14 attend the districts alternative school, there are 171 Special needs kids, and 42 out of District on the Open Enrollment Program from other neighboring communities.  Some of which are students from Annex in Oregon which also subsidizes the school district for students to attend.  Weiser Schools employ 260 total people: 102 certified, 99 classified and 60 part time (which includes bus drivers and substitute teachers), within our community.   When asked what would be done with Budget shortfalls?  I was told that would prevent any enhancement of the schools existing programs.  
 
The Midvale School District serves 149 students pre-K through 12 and employees 32 staff members which include bus drivers, custodians, teachers and admin from their community.
 
Cambridge School District serves 150 full-time students and 7 students who are homeschooled that don't regularly attend. The district employs 40 full-time staff from the community and some living in neighboring communities. What would be cut in that community if budgets are cut?  Support and regular staff and in many cases grade levels would be combined. That affects productivity within the school and this was the answers I received from both Cambridge and Midvale. 
 
These are all factual numbers I gathered from our school districts, today Jan. 27, 2025, and why would I include those factual numbers?  Because these are our people, our rural communities, our children that WILL BE affected directly and indirectly by this voucher bill if it passes.   It will affect our rural schools, yours and mine, in negative ways. There are no positive outcomes with any cuts in school funding. Representative Shirts you went to school in Cambridge you live in Weiser you know firsthand how dedicated the schools are in these communities.  How they make do with the budget on hand, whether or not the teachers' many times pay out of their own pocket to have curriculum for their students, they are that dedicated.   If the voucher bill goes through the reimbursement of funds for private schools will not go to Washington County.   The money will come from Washington county, YOUR county.  The schools have to perform building maintenance on facilities and that will come from tax levies and bonds "depending on" Your decisions on HB 39 the voucher bill.  People in our communities will lose their jobs or receive less wages depending on how you vote on, HB 39.  The effects of the voucher bill may not be evident in one year.   It may take two or three or five years, but the impacts will be huge in our rural counties. But the voucher bill will never never benefit our rural counties. That is a fact.  Please, vote "NO" on HB 39.
 
Linda Strain, Weiser, Idaho

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Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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