Instructional Support Levy critical to financial viability

    HARLAN -- Harlan Community school patrons will head to the polls Tuesday, Dec. 11 to cast ballots on a number of issues, including a proposed $28.5 million bond issue as well as renewal votes for the district’s physical plant and equipment levy and instructional support levy.
    Polls are open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. at the C.G. Therkildsen Ctr. in Harlan.
    The December 11 vote for the instructional support levy is for renewal only, as the levy was approved by voters back in 2002 for 10 years, and renewed for another 10 years in 2012.  The current levy will expire in 2022.
    An instructional support levy is a voter-approved levy that supports educational programming in the district, which brings in anywhere from $650,000-$800,000 annually.  School officials call the continuation of the funding source critical to the long-term financial viability of the district.
    This levy is not a new tax as it’s just a continuation of what voters already have approved putting in place.