School District Levies Go To Voters Tuesday

Colville School District voters must decide Tuesday whether they want to restore programs cut by last year’s double operating-levy failure.

Elsewhere in rural northeastern Washington, five Lincoln County school districts have levies on the ballot Tuesday.

Colville school officials made cuts totaling $665,704 after the district ran out of chances last year under state law to renew the local operating levy that supplemented the district’s state funding.

Superintendent Rick Cole estimated that $390,960 in additional cuts will have to be made in the 1995-96 school year if the two-year, $584,70-per-year levy on Tuesday’s ballot fails. Even if the levy were approved later this year, no money could be collected in time for the coming school year.

Cole said he doesn’t think additional cuts can be made without increasing class sizes. He predicted six or seven teaching or administrative positions and an equal number of support jobs would be cut.

Major sports programs also would have to be cut, and soccer and “C squads” and some junior high sports might be eliminated.

If the special levy passes, it will cost property owners about $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Lincoln County levy proposals:

Davenport School District - $450,000 per year for two years, estimated to cost $4.08 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Creston School District - $152,000, one year, estimated to cost $3.22 per $1,000.

Harrington School District - $232,000, one year, estimated cost $3.35 per $1,000.

Sprague School District No. 8 - $152,000, one year, estimated to cost $3.62 per $1,000. Also includes District No. 163 in Adams County.

Wilbur School District - $330,000, one year, estimated to cost $4 per $1,000.