Superintendent Scott Hubbard hopes voters in the Carbonado Historical School District show their love for schools on Valentine’s Day.

Hubbard is banking on Carbonado residents vote “yes” on a four-year replacement levy that will keep his small kindergarten through eighth-grade school going.

“For us it’s always our livelihood,” Hubbard said of the levy. If it fails, Hubbard said he could dip into reserves, but only for a year. After that, he said, “we would not have the financial resources to continue.”

The Carbonado community has a long history of supporting its school and has never failed a maintenance and operation levy.

Voters should have already received ballots in the mail and can return them immediately for the Feb. 14 election.

The maintenance and operation levy, approximately 25 percent of the Carbonado School District budget, covers expenses state basic education money does not – items and programs like additional teachers and classified employees to keep class sizes low. The levy also supports student learning materials, supplies, books, instructional technology materials, computer equipment, music programs, sports, transportation and maintenance and upkeep.

Hubbard reminds voters this is not a new tax, but replaces the existing maintenance and operation levy that expires in December 2012.

If approved, taxpayers can expect, in 2013, the district will collect $522,000 at a tax rate of $5.51 per $1,000 of assessed property value. In 2014, the district will collect a little more, $538,000, at a rate of $5.52 per $1,000. In 2015, the tax rate remains the same with a collection of $554,000. In the final year, 2016, the district will collect $571,000 at a rate of $5.53.

As an example, in 2013, a homeowner would pay $551 on $100,000 assessed value.