Mabton seeks small increase in 4-year school district levy

YAKIMA, Wash. — The Mabton School District is asking voters for a four-year maintenance and operations levy that's a little higher than the current levy set to expire this year.

The district, which serves nearly 1,000 students, uses maintenance and operations levies to fund transportation, special education, building maintenance and extracurricular activities.

If district voters approve the measure in the Feb. 14 special election, the levy would tax property owners about $1 million over the four years, which is about $230,000 more than the current levy amount.

The increase is an attempt to make up for state cuts in education funding the past two years, as well as what might come down this year in the Legislature, and to qualify for the maximum in state matching funds through levy equalization.

However, many lawmakers have proposed reducing levy equalization funding this year.

"With all the cuts that are coming down to the school district, we just felt like we needed to increase it a little bit," said Gina Grow, district business manager.

Still, Grow stressed that the proposed tax rates are lower than most neighboring school districts.

The measure would mean a projected tax rate of $1.49 per $1,000 of assessed value, 21 cents higher than 2012's $1.28. That works out to $149 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home.

Mabton's 2008 levy passed by 75 percent, the highest margin in the area that year. To pass, levies require a simple majority.

Add a projected $4.8 million of levy equalization and the measure would be worth $5.8 million in total.

* Ross Courtney can be reached at 509-930-8798 or rcourtney@yakimaherald.com.