RSSProposed levies in Kittitas County hope to fill in funding gaps
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YAKIMA, Wash. — Four school districts in Kittitas County are asking voters to renew levies to help fund day-to-day operations and maintenance. With the possibility of more budget cuts to state funding coming out of Olympia, the levy proposals in the Feb. 14 special election are increases from the existing levies.
Money from levies pays for a wide range of things, from textbooks to teachers to athletics to janitors.
But that money is critical to school districts, whether it is Ellensburg schools, with more than 3,000 students, or Damman, with only 39 students, school administrators say.
A campaign flyer produced by the school district says: "The current level of funding provided by the state is insufficient to adequately operate the Damman School District."
Damman's levy makes up nearly half of its budget, which is $512,446 for the 2011-12 school year.
Under the district's levy proposal, it would collect 10.5 percent more in 2013 than it will in 2012.
According to the tax rate projected by the district, property owners would see their rates jump from $1.84 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2012 to $2.17 in 2013.
Ellensburg School District's levy proposal calls for collecting 14 percent more in 2013 compared to 2012.
The projected tax rate in 2013 is $2.79, compared to the actual rate of $2.55 in 2012.
Under budget cuts proposed by Gov. Chris Gregoire, the district would lose all of the money it gets from the state for levy equalization. The money is meant to close the gap between property-rich and property-poor districts.
Ellensburg schools received $411,000 in levy equalization for the current school year, according to the Office of Financial Management.
Multiple calls made this week to Ellensburg superintendent Paul Farris seeking comment were unreturned.
Thorp School District's levy proposal would collect 18.3 percent more in 2013 compared to 2012.
Levy money makes up more than a quarter of the district's $2.72 million budget. It has about 125 students.
According to the tax rate projected by the district, tax rates would go from $2.63 in 2012 to $3.12 in 2013.
Kittitas School District's levy proposal increases the amount to be collected in 2013 by only 1 percent compared to 2012.
The district is projecting a rate of $2.09 in 2013. The 2012 rate is $2.19.
* Contact Dan Catchpole at 509-577-7684 or dcatchpole@yakimaherald.com.
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