 2008
M & O Levy
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Maintenance
and Operations Replacement Levy, 2008
Voters of the
White Salmon Valley School District will have an opportunity to approve a two-year
replacement
levy on February 19th, 2009.
The White Salmon Valley School District is asking the voters to approve a two-year replacement levy on February 19, 2008. This levy money would be used to support normal operating expenses of our schools for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years.
Levy funds help pay for some of the fundamental tools of our educational programs such as: staffing, increased utility costs, increased fuel costs, teaching supplies, textbooks, library books, transportation, extracurricular programs, and a portion of our after-school programs.
Additional information
about the levy can be found below. If you have additional questions or need more information, please call the district office at
(509) 493-1500.
Common
questions about the Levy
- What
is a Maintenance and Operations (M & O) Levy?
- What's the difference between a levy and a bond?
- Why
does the district need a levy?
- Where
does levy money go?
- What
will happen if the levy doesn't pass?
- Why
is passing the levy important to me if I don't have any kids in school?
- Why is the amount of this levy increased over previous levies?
- What are levy equalization dollars, and why do they matter to our schools?
- Aren't there other ways for the district to cover the gaps in funding from the state?
- Where will the increased levy dollars be spent?
- What
will this levy cost me?
- Is there a special tax exemption for senior citizens?
- When must I register to vote?
- Where
do I vote?
- What are the voter-approved requirements for the levy?
- Who do I contact if I have more questions?
What is a Maintenance and Operations (M & O) Levy?
A Maintenance
and Operations (M & O) Levy provides a school district with funds
to bridge the difference between the money it receives from the state
and the actual cost of operating its schools. At the end of each year,
the levy expires and is replaced by the next year's levy. Our district
has typically sought approval of levy funding from the voters every two
years. The current levy, passed in February 2006, expires in December
2008.
The February 19 levy would replace it, beginning in the spring of 2009.
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What's the difference between a levy and a bond?
Maintenance and operation levy funds are used to pay daily expenses of the school district. Among these operating expenses are salaries and benefits for new and existing professional and support staff, educational supplies and materials, general maintenance and upkeep of facilities, and utility and fuel costs. Bond issues, like the one passed last February, provide for new construction and/or renovation of existing facilities. A good way to remember the difference is to recall the saying,
"
Bonds are for building, levies are for learning ".
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Why
does the district need a levy?
As state
support for school operations continues to shrink, and as costs for
providing essential
services and programs continue to rise, the importance of local support for schools
becomes even greater. Currently, state
funding meets only 79% of our district's budget, leaving 21%, or approximately
one-fifth (1/5) of the budget to the local district. Without levy
funding,
our district would fall far short of the funding needed to maintain our
current programs.
Although the state authorizes school districts to levy up to 24% of the district's levy base, our school board of directors has chosen to keep the actual levy amount significantly lower, at 21% of the levy base.
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Where
does levy money go?
Levy funds
help pay for some of the fundamental tools of our strong educational
program. These items
including staffing, teaching supplies, textbooks, library books, transportation,
extracurricular programs, and a portion of our afterschool programs.
Additionally, they help cover the costs of
increases in utilities,
services, and transportation particular to our rural area. (See
levy funding chart).
Although levy funds help meet a number of educational needs, 70% of
the funds in the February 19 levy are dedicated to be used directly in the classrooms, among the
highest
percentagein the State of Washington for like-sized schools.
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What
happens if a levy doesn't pass?
Because
the district cannot function at acceptable levels solely on funding
provided
by the state, a second levy would have to be offered later in the year.
In the meantime, we run the risk of losing additional levy equalization money from the state. Most damaging perhaps would be the need to curtail,
even temporarily, many of our district's most successful programs
and activities, halting their forward progress at a time when student
gains in education are most critical.
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Why
is passing the levy important to me if I don't have any kids in school?
A community's
schools benefit more than just the students who attend them and the parents
who send them there. Strong schools create environments for young people
to learn and grow, and to become valuable, contributing members of their
community throughout their lives. Investing in the future of children
through support of their schools creates lasting rewards for the whole
community. Whether you have kids in classes or not, you and the entire
community benefit from a strong school system. And an investment in the
children of today, in the workers, citizens, and leaders of tomorrow,
is an investment that is important to everyone.
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Why is the amount of this levy increased over previous levies?
The Board of Directors' decision to seek an increase in the amount of this replacement maintenance and operation levy was not taken lightly. This 2-year levy has an increase of $315,000 the first year over the current levy amount of $1,675,000. This increase is necessary to help cover costs of inflation as well as to maintain and enhance current programs. The second year's increase of an additional $65,000 over the first year's increase is to cover the revenue the school district will lose in levy equalization dollars that year.
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What exactly are "levy equalization dollars" and why do they matter to our schools?
Levy equalization dollars come from the state to help even the playing field for school districts in communities with varying abilities to sustain local levies. As the state's budget office explains "Since some school districts have lower property values than others, local school district levy rates vary. The lower the property values, the higher the levy rates tend to be. The state "equalizes" local funds by providing matching state funds for school districts with higher than average levy rates." (http://www.ofm.wa.gov/budget07/recsum/350029.pdf)
So, as property values in the White Salmon School District have risen over past years, our district's share of the state's equalization dollars has fallen, leaving an increasing gap in our funding picture (See chart below)
Our levy equalization funds have decreased the last two years from $220,529 in 2006-07, to $135,538 in 2007-08, and will decrease to $92,000 in 2008-09, $27,000 in 2009-10, and $0 in 2010-11.
As the chart above shows, this loss of funding from the state represents a dramatic drop in funds available for carrying out the valuable work of the school district. These funds must be made up elsewhere, or the students, parents, and community will notice the loss of services. And, as the name of these dollars implies, "districts around the state must pass a local maintenance and operations levy to be eligible for local effort assistance". (http://www.ofm.wa.gov/budget07/recsum/350029.pdf). Failure to pass the February 19 levy would put even these reduced state funds at risk.
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Aren't there other ways for the district to cover the gaps in funding from the state?
Our school district has faced declining enrollment, and as a result, funding reductions, since the 1996-97 school year. We believe we have finally turned the corner and are beginning to see slight increases in student enrollment, but, as a direct result of declining enrollment in the past, we have laid off staff and have drastically cut resources that would have maintained our facilities at the optimum level.
Where will the increased levy dollars be spent?
The outline below spells out the basic plan for use of the additional funds requested in this replacement levy. For more details and explanations of each item, see the related page.
| Cover rising costs of inflation |
$50,000 |
Increase staff at Columbia High School by 1.0 to teach upper-level mathematics |
$65,000 |
| Add half-time employee to help maintain facilities |
$18,000 |
Increase District Curriculum Resources to purchase new, mandated mathematics curriculum |
$50,000 |
Furniture/Desks replacement schedule $7,500 each per 3 buildings |
$22,500 |
Project Open Door (Henkle Middle School's After School Program) |
$10,000 |
Increase Maintenance Department Budget |
$43,000 |
| Increase Grounds Department Budget |
$12,000 |
| Increase Kitchen Budget |
$10,000 |
| Increase the School District's Fund Balance toward expected 5% reserves |
$14,500 |
| TOTAL INCREASE IN LEVY |
$295,000* |
| *Note: The $295,000 are on a fiscal year basis (Sept-Aug) increase is different from the $315,000 increase in the levy amount, which is calculated on a calendar year basis (Jan-Dec) |
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What
will this levy cost me?
It's impossible
to perfectly predict what the school taxes will be on a particular
piece
of property in the future; changing assessments and new construction
continually change the size of the county's base assessment value,
which in turn determines
the total levy amount paid per $1,000 of assessed value to generate the
total levy amount. However, the proposed replacement levy will cost
property
owners approximately $1.68 per $1,000 assessed value for 2009-2010, and
$1.69 per $1,000 for 2010-2011.
Based on past experience, the rate per $1,000 may go down even further as new construction continues, which would increase the school district's base assessment value. (See Chart for annual changes in tax rate)
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Is there a special tax exemption for senior citizens?
YES . For information about your status, please contact White Salmon Senior Citizens (Pioneer Center) at 493-3068 or the office of the Klickitat County Assessor for details at 1-800-764-2245.
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When must I register to vote?
If you are already registered but need to make changes, the deadline is January 18, 2008. If you are new to the State of Washington, the deadline is February 4, 2008. If you have questions about registering to vote please contact the Klickitat County Auditor's Office at 1-800-583-8050 or the Skamania County Auditor's Office at 509-427-3730.
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Where do I vote?
This will be the first White Salmon Maintenance and Operations Levy since the county adopted an all mail-in ballot format, so you will be receiving your ballot in the mail around the first of February. Ballots must be postmarked by February 19 to be valid in this election.
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What are the voter-approved requirements for the levy?
In the last November general election, voters approved EHJR 4204, the Simple Majority Constitutional Amendment. All levies now need 50% + 1 vote for approval. Prior to the passage of this amendment levies needed the super majority of 60% for approval.
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Who do I contact if I have more questions?
You may contact Dale Palmer, Superintendent of the White Salmon Valley School District at 509-493-1500.
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What are the Total School Tax Rates?
The table below shows a comparison of school tax rates per thousand dollars of assessed value. Rates shown for 2003-2007 are actual rates; 2008 are estimated rates under the current levy. 2009 and 2010 are projected under the proposed replacement levy.
| |
Actual |
Est'd |
Projected |
| |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
| M&O Levy |
$2.55 |
$2.51 |
$2.27 |
$2.17 |
$2.35 |
$2.26 |
$1.68 |
$1.69 |
| Bond |
$0.56 |
$0.54 |
$0.42 |
$0.44 |
$0.30 |
$0.43 |
$0.28 |
$0.28 |
| Total |
$3.11 |
$3.05 |
$2.69 |
$2.61 |
$2.65 |
$2.69 |
$1.96 |
$1.97 |
The table below shows how these levy rates translate into actual tax costs based on property value. Again, rates shown for 2003-2007 are actual rates; 2008 are estimated rates under the current levy. 2009 and 2010 are projected under the proposed replacement levy.
Total Levy Amount Per Home Value
|
Assessed
Valuation |
Actual |
Est'd |
Proposed |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
$100,000 |
$311 |
$305 |
$270 |
$261 |
$265 |
$269 |
$196 |
$197 |
$150,000 |
$467 |
$458 |
$404 |
$391 |
$397 |
$403 |
$294 |
$296 |
$200,000 |
$623 |
$611 |
$539 |
$522 |
$530 |
$538 |
$392 |
$394 |
$250,000 |
$778 |
$763 |
$675 |
$652 |
$662 |
$672 |
$490 |
$493 |
$300,000 |
$934 |
$916 |
$809 |
$782 |
$794 |
$807 |
$588 |
$591 |
$350,000 |
$1,089 |
$1,069 |
$943 |
$913 |
$927 |
$941 |
$686 |
$690 |
$400,000 |
$1,245 |
$1,221 |
$1,078 |
$1,043 |
$1,059 |
$1,075 |
$784 |
$788 |
| $500,000 |
$1,556 |
$1,527 |
$1,348 |
$1,304 |
$1,324 |
$1,344 |
$980 |
$985 |
| $750,000 |
$2,335 |
$2,290 |
$2,021 |
$1,956 |
$1,986 |
$2,017 |
$1,470 |
$1,478 |
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| 35.1% to Basic Education-- includes staff not funded by State money (class size reduction, for example)
19.2% to Classroom Supplies, Materials, and Services
27.3% to Operational Support - including supplies, materials, utilities, services, etc.
2.4% to Food Services
3.5% to
Transportation - to cover daily transportation costs not met by State funding
12.5% to Extracurricular activities-
Activities, sports, clubs, etc. |
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