White River School District puts M&O levy in voters hands again

Published 11:25 am Thursday, December 11, 2008

By Brenda Sexton

The Courier-Herald

The Citizens for White River Schools are canvassing the communities of Buckley, Bonney Lake, Wilkeson and South Prairie getting the word out about the White River School District's April 25 maintenance and operation levy.

One of the biggest hurdles the group faces, organizer Carolyn Norris said, is making people aware the first one didn't pass and how important it is to pass this one to keep schools running at their current level.

&#8220This is the last chance,” Superintendent Tom Lockyer said. &#8220Failure is not an option.”

If the maintenance and operation levy fails this time, the district cannot place it before voters again until next year.

The levy failed in February after receiving a 53.19 percent &#8220yes” vote (60 percent support is required for passage). Members of the White River School Board said it was too important to let go and opted to run a mail-in only vote in the special April 25 election. In February, the district also proposed a bond issue that would have made significant upgrades to the stadium at the high school; that issue is not on the ballot this time around.

District leaders and levy committee leaders say M&O money is embedded in not just their school district's budgets, but most school district's budgets.

The four-year maintenance and operation levy, which makes up approximately 17 percent of the district's budget, helps keep class sizes small and plays for secretaries, classroom assistants and custodians, special education, instructional materials, transportation, counseling and nursing services, athletic and music programs and more.

A maintenance and operation levy has become a necessity to help district's make ends meet, Lockyer said.

&#8220Hopefully we're getting that message out,” he said.

It replaces the current levy which expires soon.

There is opposition from a community group to a four-year levy. In the Pierce County voters' pamphlet opposition statement, James Findley, Sue Stevens and JeriLyn Sawyer said voters clearly wanted a two-year levy and do not want to continue to pay taxes and not receive services.

If approved, the district would collect $7 million the first year and gradually grow to $8.2 million in the final year, 2010. The tax rate, however, is expected to remain the same, $3.49 per $1,000 of assessed property value, or become smaller as more people move into the area to share the tax burden and home values increase.

According to Norris, the district cannot receive more than it determines to collect. For example, if the levy passes, in 2007 the district is allowed to collect $7 million. The current rate for that collection is $3.49, but levy committee members say the collection rate could fall if assessed values climb or the tax base widens with more people moving to the community.

&#8220If their assessed value goes up another 15 percent it doesn't mean the school district gets more than that $7 million its asking for,” Norris said.

Unlike other school districts that failed levies, White River officials, board members and levy committee members are not threatening voters with the &#8220what ifs.” Norris said there was a piece of literature floating around showing people how much certain programs cost to give them an idea of how much money it takes to run a district, but in no way did it convey which programs would be cut.

&#8220Obviously, what will happen if it doesn't pass will just not be fun,” Norris said. &#8220But it was used to show it's not excess dollars the district uses for fluff.”

Norris said the committee is working hard to make voters aware of upcoming election by going door-to-door, phone calling, picketing and holding public meetings like the one planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Glacier Middle School library.

Getting out in the community, Norris said she's realized people either don't have children in the district or don't understand the dollars it takes to run a district.

&#8220People are concerned because their taxes are going up,” Norris said. &#8220But enrollment has almost doubled over the years and expenses have gone up.

&#8220We owe it to society to keep educating the children.”

The majority, she noted, approved the levy if February, &#8220we just need more votes.”

&#8220We're trying to remind people how important it is. They're vote really, really does count.”

Ballots need to be returned or postmarked by April 25. Since this is a mail-in only election, every registered voter, whether signed up as an absentee voter or not will receive a ballot.

Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.