$11.8M Central Valley School District levy likely to pass with fewer than 200 ballots left to count
The Central Valley School District’s one-year, $11.8 million supplemental levy is likely to pass, with more than 51% of residents voting “yes” and about 175 ballots left to count as of Wednesday evening.
The tax increase for 2021 of $1 per $1,000 of assessed property value is proposed to sustain current services at the school district and pay for a new public safety employee. The supplemental levy brings the total local tax rate for the district to $2.50 per $1,000.
The district had its levy rate reduced when the Legislature passed education funding reforms in 2017. And Central Valley Superintendent Ben Small said the state funding doesn’t cover costs such as most school nurses, librarians, sports and after-school programs.
Nearly 11,000 people voted in support of the levy and about 10,500 opposed it.
Small said the levy wouldn’t support teacher pay increases, though the district recently approved raises between 3% and 21%, depending on the teacher’s experience level and education.