HELENA — Helena voters will see three 10-year levies on the ballot this May, which are used for short-term projects and daily costs. If all three are passed, around $ 3 million would be brought into the district’s general fund.
“Levies are for learning, so it is the ongoing operations and the constant cost that we have,” said Gary Myers, Helena Public Schools director of educational technology.
(WATCH: Three levies on the ballot for Helena Public Schools)
The first levy is for the elementary general fund operations. Funds will be dedicated to student and staffing needs, primarily supporting curriculum programs, classroom supplies, and the retention and recruitment of teachers and staff.
Superintendent Rex Weltz said, ” The operational levy continues to put adults in buildings to work with kids, so they support the operations of our district.”
Montana law limits annual inflationary increases in state K-12 funding to a maximum of 3 percent. When inflation rises faster than that, funding does not fully cover rising costs, leaving school districts to make up the difference through levies like this.
If passed, this levy would increase local property taxes for a $600,000 home by around $33 a year, resulting in just over $953,000 of funding for the schools.
The two other levies are operations, infrastructure, and licensing technology funds for both the elementary and high schools.
“Really, these technology levies are focused on the technology money we have to spend to keep the district running, so it is a common misconception that passing levies means that we are going to be increasing screen time for kids, and the opposite of that is true,” Myers said.
The purpose of these levies is to maintain the district’s existing technology, such as licensing and security measures.
Helena voters rejected a proposed school technology levy in May of 2025. School officials say the levy is needed to stay up to date with evolving technology.
Myers said, “This is a massive evolution and a huge difference for her students, and it is also an impact for our community, so we are choosing as a community to spend our tax dollars investing in Helena this way.”
The high school tech levy is $850,000 and the elementary tech levy is $1.6 million, so if passed, the elementary levy would increase property taxes for a $600,000 home by around $56 a year, and if passed, the high school levy would increase property taxes for a $600,000 home by around $27 a year, with a combined increase for the average home sitting at around $83 annually.
Weltz said, “This is where we heard the taxpayers, and we have drawn the line because this is what we need to have to run the operations side of our technology.”
Ballots roll out on friday April 17, and the election is set for Tuesday, May 5. For more information on the levies, you can visit this link.
