Bozeman school levy vote would fund staff pay increases

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Bozeman voters are set to decide this Tuesday on two school operating mill levies tied to teacher and staff pay. 

The Bozeman School District said the requests would go fully toward employee compensation as the district works to keep up with Bozeman's cost of living. The high school levy totals $600,000, and the elementary levy totals $1.2 million. 

Together, the $1.8 million request would allow a 3 percent raise for district staff and a $125 monthly cost-of-living increase. 

"We know that there's still going to be a huge gap between what it costs to live in Bozeman and what we're able to pay our staff, both teachers and our hourly staff. But this is a way to scratch the surface," said Mike Waterman, director of business and operations for the district. 

A bond voters approved in 2006 to renovate Bozeman High School is expiring this year. That bond cost $1.8 million per year. 

"That is falling off the tax rolls next year. The Board of trustees is asking for a new $1.8 million, the same dollar amount. New this year, for a different purpose," Waterman said. 

The district said that in theory, taxpayers would not feel a difference if the mill levies pass. It also noted that Big Sky was part of the Bozeman School District when the 2006 bond passed and had helped pay that bond for the last 20 years. 

"Since we have a smaller tax base, since Big Sky Isn't included in the new request, there's a net, small net tax impact for Bozeman area taxpayers. That amount is about $0.73 per month on a $600,000 House," Mike Waterman said. 

That works out to about $8.81 per year for a $600,000 house. 

According to a fact sheet published by the district, Bozeman Schools levied the least number of mills at 157.64, compared to other major school districts like Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Butte, Helena and Kalispell. 

In 2025, the district topped a 90% graduation rate for the first time and saw 79% of third graders achieve proficiency in reading – an all-time high – despite a major increase in multi-lingual and English learner students, according to that same sheet. 

For a ballot to count, it had to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.