EVSD redrafts levy plan

The East Valley School District board of directors took two giant steps forward Tuesday, raising the amount they will ask voters to approve for a replacement maintenance and operations levy to offset state budget cuts and taking a third chance at passing a construction bond. Both issues will be on the Feb. 3 ballot.

Gov. Chris Gregoire cut the levy-equalization money school districts receive by 3.4 percent in November. East Valley is going on the assumption that more will be cut and redrafted its proposed levy to replace almost all of it. “We’re not going to be asking for that full amount,” said board member June Sine.

The new levy amount will replace 92 percent of what the district currently gets from the state. The money is given to property-poor school districts, mostly in Eastern Washington, who have assessed home values below the state average. “We don’t believe it will be cut 100 percent,” said Superintendent John Glenewinkel.

There are fears other moneys will go away.

“The cuts will be imminent,” he said. “We just don’t know where yet. This will be a very difficult (legislative) session.”

The February ballot will ask voters to approve a three-year levy that is estimated to stay at $3.15 per $1,000 in assessed home value for all three years. If levy equalization money is not cut further, taxpayers will receive a tax rollback in the form of the district collecting less than the $3.15 authorized.

Also on the ballot will be a construction bond slightly changed from the version that failed twice this year despite getting about 55 percent approval each time. Levies only require a simple majority, to pass while bonds require a supermajority of 60 percent.

The new bond amount is up $1.5 million to $34.5 million. That amount, coupled with $19.3 million in matching funds from the state, will pay to upgrade and modernize East Farms, Skyview, Trentwood, Trent and Otis Orchards elementary schools and modernize and construct additions to Mountain View and East Valley middle schools. Improving the district’s computer technology is included.

“The middle schools will still get complete renovation,” Glenewinkel said. He called the renovation plans at the elementary schools “super-aggressive maintenance programs” that will make the schools “safe and stable” for the next 20 years. “We have to protect our investment.”

The bond’s estimated cost to taxpayers is 89 cents per $1,000 in assessed home value. That amount is lower than estimates for the bond that previously failed because the assessed value of homes in the district has gone up since then, Glenewinkel said.

Both the levy and bond amounts were carefully calculated to add up to the $4.04 that taxpayers are currently paying, he said. The levy will replace an expiring maintenance and operations levy, and the district has just paid off its last bond.

“It will be what people are paying now in actual dollars,” he said.

•In other business, Kerri Lunstroth was re-elected board chairperson and Mitch Jensen was re-elected vice-chairperson. The board also approved contracting with Yakima-based Achieve Online to provide an online education program to students.