Washougal school district – Levy – Feb 2020

On your special ballot for Feb 2020 will be two levy requests. One is for operational money and one is for tech. Separating tech out makes it seem like they aren’t asking for as much money. We took a look at what they are asking for and claiming. We share our observations with you to help make sure you don’t get just one side. Please look closely at the requests and judge for yourself if they deserve a yes or not. Please vote…too often 20-25% of the voters make all the choices. Don’t let that happen.

Washougal SD Levy’s (Prop 8 & 9)

Feb 2020

The Washougal SD is asking the public to approve two (2) levies in Feb 2020. Following is the information they provide on their website: http://www.washougal.k12.wa.us/district-budget-information/levy/ along with our analysis of the information and sharing questions (if any) about the accuracy (or lack) and transparency.

1. The EP&O Levy will be assessed at $2.14 per thousand of assessed value for tax years 2021, 2022, and 2023. The levy is projected to collect generate $7,392,656 in 2021, $7,984,068 in 2022, and $8,622,793 in tax year 2023. What is an EP&O levy? Enhanced Programs and Operations Levy.
2. What does the EP&O pay for? Answer: Instructional Support; Student Learning & Staffing; Athletics & Activities; Operations & Maintenance and Health & Safety.
3. The 2^nd levy is: The Technology Levy will be assessed at $0.25 per thousand of assessed value for tax year 2021, $.024 per thousand in 2022, and an $0.22 in tax year 2023. The levy is projected to collect generate $845,000 in 2021, $870,000 in 2022, and $898,000 in tax year 2023.

Here’s a chart from their website:

This amounts to an increase of about $4.06 per month in 2021, compared to the current tax rates.

Analysis

1. They use a home value of $325,000. We use $400,000 to get closer to the assessed values in the area.
2. The levy cap the legislature put in place Jan 1, 2019 limited their EP&O levy to a maximum of $1.50/$1000 of assessed value. This was raised to $2.50/$1000 before the year was out.
3. So the EP&O levy went from $1.50 to $2.14 = an increase of $.64/$1000 = 42.7% increase.
4. The “tech levy” averages out to $.237/$1000 over the 3 years.
5. It appears that the school board raised the levy rate from $1.50 to $1.98 in 2019 and is now increasing the $1.98 to $2.14. Did they ask the public for that approval or did they unilaterally raise the rate during the budget process? Did the public know?
6. Here is verbiage from their web page: This will bring property taxes for schools to about the same rate as they were in 2017, before the state implemented a levy swap. What they don’t say is that the State increased their funding…most of which was spent on teacher raises. Ask them for a true accounting of how much more money they’ve gotten over the past 3-4 years.
7. So a $400,000 assessed value home with a $2.14 EP&O levy + $.237 for a tech levy = $2.377 = 400 x $2.377 = $950.80. Under the previous levy cap at the start of 2019 ($1.50 + ~$.24) = $1.74 to a proposed $2.377 = and increase of ~$.637/$1000 = 36.6% increase = $696 to $950.80 = +$254.80

Concerns:

1. From 2020 to 2023 there is only a $.14 difference. If the inflation rate is only 2% per year the buying power of a dollar will drop nearly 9%. There is simply no way that could be accurate so something in their numbers is off.
2. They will need to come back and ask for additional money at some point.
3. Remember that these levy’s are on TOP of the State property taxes for schools as well as bonds.

There is a question as to the accuracy of the numbers and the reality.

Does all this extra money make any difference? Let’s look at past data and judge for yourself:

What difference have tax increases and more money had on results? https://swweducation.org?p=5872

What if we looked at testing results? https://swweducation.org?p=5757

How about testing score results? https://swweducation.org?p=4320

Here is specific data for the Washougal district: https://swweducation.org?p=5846