MSD begins looking at replacement levies

The Marysville School District is beginning the process to shape replacement levies to go before district voters, potentially in this upcoming February's election.

The district has an Educational Program and Operations levy and a Technology and Capital Projects levy that are expiring at the end of 2022.

An educational program and operations levy typically provides funding for additional teachers, nurses, counselors, and extracurricular activities.

District officials are currently looking into what staff need.

“We have been doing a lot of preliminary work,” said David Cram, executive director of finance for the district during the Sept. 15 school board meeting.

Cram said stakeholders are being brought in to help create the levy.

“We’re pulling these committees together to give us input and direction on some of these things that we put together,” he said.

The Washington state legislature has put a cap on how much districts can ask voters for with this local levy.

“We do have restrictions or caps that we have to deal with there,” said Cram.

The majority of districts ask for the maximum they are allowed.

“I’m assuming that the EP&O [Educational Program & Operations] levy will probably be the max that we can based on property values, that’s typically what we do,” said school board member Chris Nation during the Sept. 15 school board meeting.

The second levy the district hopes to replace is a Technology and Capital Projects levy, which could fund further technology for students, as well as building maintenance.

In the past the levy has helped the district make building improvements as well as fund the Chromebook initiative which equips most district students with a Chromebook.

“We’ve been working with our technology director, and our maintenance and operations on what should be in that levy,” said Cram.

Levies are paid for through local property tax. Property owners are currently paying for an Educational Program & Operations levy and a Technology and Capital Projects levy that will expire in 2022.

“We’ll be bringing a proposal to you with the dollar amount and the per $1,000 rate,” during either the Oct. 20 or Nov. 3 school board meeting, said Cram.

“That resolution has to be adopted prior to Dec. 10, because that is the deadline we have to file with the county before that Feb. 8 election,” said Cram.

Levies only require a simple majority to pass, unlike bonds which require 60 percent approval.