School bond, levy going to vote

Voters in the Central Valley School District will get to decide in a special election this spring whether to pay for new school buildings and whether to continue funding school programs.

The district’s board of directors voted Monday to place an all mail-in ballot before voters March 14, with both a $55.2 million construction bond and the three-year maintenance and operations levy.

The construction bond would pay for a new elementary and middle school near Liberty Lake, where growth has filled some school buildings beyond capacity. It would also pay for remodeling three other schools by 2009.

The bond would increase the property tax rate about 60 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation, said Jan Hutton, the district’s executive director for finance.

It would cost $120 a year for the owner of a $200,000 home.

The maintenance and operations levy makes up 16 percent of the district’s operating budget and helps to support various school programs.

The current levy, which costs property owners $3.59 for every $1,000 of assessed valuation, expires in 2006. The replacement would cost $3.50 per $1,000 – or $700 a year for a $200,000 home.

The school board voted in May to place the construction bond before the voters this fall, but in June voted to wait until the spring so it would be on the same ballot with the maintenance and operations levy.

“We felt the voters needed more time on the bond to really fully inform the community,” said Melanie Rose, school district spokeswoman.

She said a recent survey also indicated voters would prefer to have both measures on the same ballot.

The board also voted on an alternate date of April 25 for another special election, in the event that the levy or bond does not pass.

“We really hope we don’t need it – we hope the voters will step up,” said board member Cindy McMullen.