News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Steve and Sheila Sauer hold signs Monday near Safeway encouraging voters to support the upcoming school levy, which would lower the rate at which property owners are taxed, but bump the amount of local support to $1.13 million, plus gain $535,000 a year from state levy support. The Sauers said they were getting a lot of positive signs from passersby. - Scott Hunter photo
School district patrons received their official mail-in levy ballots this week and will need to return them by Feb. 10, in order for them to be counted.
At issue is a four-year replacement levy that would provide $1.13 million each year, 2016-2019, for maintenance and operation costs for schools and programs.
The levy provides additional funding for underfunded school programs, and is in fact a reduction in the rate at which taxes are levied on property owners currently.
A successful vote also means some $535,000 of additional funding from the state for passing the levy.
The levy asks for $3.95 in taxes for each $1,000 in assessed valuation. A person with a $100,000 house would pay $395 a year under the new replacement levy. That person now pays $4.54 per thousand or $454 a year in taxes. The new levy would save that person $59 a year.
The school district is sending out a breakdown of information about the levy and how the monies are used. That information should be in the hands of school patrons this week.
The special replacement levy committee, Citizens for Quality Education, have already begun their "Support Strong Schools" appeal to voters.
The committee meets at 4 p.m. Wednesdays in the new school meeting room at the high school entrance. The public is invited to the meetings.
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