Levy Frequently Asked Questions
Post A Question
Have a Question for the 2007 Levy? Fill in your information and question below to receive a personal reply.
Q:Is the Port Angeles School District going to run another levy request?
A:Yes. The Port Angeles School District Board of Directors is placing a four-year replacement maintenance and operations levy before voters on the February 6, 2007 ballot. It will be a levy renewal and replaces the expiring two-year levy at the end of 2007.
Q:What exactly is the levy?
A:A levy is a property tax on real estate that helps finance educational programs and operations of the public schools. The levy specifies an amount to be collected each year. This is a renewal of the replacement levy approved in May 2005. If approved, voters would be replacing the current two-year levy expiring at the end of 2007.
Q:What percentage of the district's budget does the levy represent?
A:There are two ways in which this is reported. When the levy amount is compared to all of the district's resources, the current levy represents approximately 17 percent of the district's total budget. When the levy is compared to state and federal revenues only (the way the state compares school districts), it represents 21.6 percent of the budget. The state does not include "local support" received by a school district when calculating the levy as a percent of the budget.
Local support revenues include such things as tuition and fees, summer school tuition and fees, sales of goods, supplies and services, school food services, school bus revenue, investment earnings, gifts and donations, fines and damages, rentals and leases, insurance recoveries, local support non-tax and e-rate. In 2006-07, the Port Angeles School District anticipates that it will receive $798,202 in local support.
Q:What are the election requirements?
A:Washington State law has two requirements for school levy elections:
(1) Replacement levy measures require a supermajority vote; that means that at least 60% of the votes must be “YES” in order for the measure to pass.
(2) According to the Clallam County Auditor, at least 8,169 voters must cast a ballot for the February 6, 2007 levy to be validated. This number is 40% of the voters who voted in the last election.
Q:Where do I vote?
A:In May 2005, Clallam County commissioners moved to eliminate poll voting and switch to an all vote-by-mail system for all elections. A ballot for the Port Angeles School District February 6, 2007 levy election will be mailed to the homes of registered voters on or around January 17, 2007.
Q:What is Levy Equalization Funding?
A:Levy equalization is the method used by our state to provide equity between the school districts located in the property rich areas and the schools located in areas where the property assessments are lower. Port Angeles School District has received money from the state because the property values in the district have been lower than the state average. The successful passage of the 2005 maintenance and operations levy brought in $933,115 in 2005-06 and an estimated $761,354 in 2006-07 in levy equalization funding for the school district.
Because of the recent increase in assessed valuation, the school district projects the state will no longer provide levy equalization funding by 2008. If the district does qualify, the amount of the levy collected from local taxpayers will be reduced accordingly.
The levy amount has been increased in 2008 to make up for this anticipated loss in funding.
Q:What is a levy lid?
A:The legislature grants school boards the authority to request local school funds through maintenance and operations levy for up to 24% (the lid) of the total of the district’s state and federal revenues. Port Angeles School District may not collect more than this levy amount, even if the voters approve a higher amount. The levy amounts decline in 2010 and 2011 because of the levy lid.
Q:Are you asking for a higher tax rate this time?
A:No. The estimated rates are significantly lower than the existing 2006 property tax rate of $2.7587. The estimated tax rates for the new levy are: $2.38 for 2008, $2.27 for 2009, $2.05 for 2010, and $1.89 for 2011.
Q:Does an increase in property values mean schools get more money?
A:No. Only an increase in the levy amount means schools get more money.
Q:Will my taxes go up if this levy passes?
A:If your assessed property value goes up more than the reduction caused by the tax rate reduction, then you will pay more tax. You may view Parcel/Tax Search on the Clallam County website to complete a data search for your personal property.
Q:Why does the Port Angeles School District need levy funds every year?
A:Public school districts in Washington State receive the majority of their annual operating funds from the state. However, the legislature only funds approximately 69% of what it costs to provide a child’s public education. The balance of the money needed is expected to come from the federal government, grants, and local levies.
Q:Did the recent budget shortfalls result in the district asking for a higher levy?
A:No. The district is asking for a higher levy amount, but the levy rates are considerably lower. The board is asking for a higher levy to offset the loss of levy equalization funds, a small portion of the state cuts, and to guard against deeper cuts expected from legislative mandated cost increases.
The school district made deep staff cuts over five years in teaching, para-educator, secretarial, administrative, custodial and bus driver positions, and closed two schools. Five years of deep cuts responded to more than $1 million in reductions of state funding, and nearly $2.3 million due to declining enrollment.
Q:What district programs and operations are supported by this levy?
A:The Port Angeles School District levy provides critical funding for important programs that could not be offered without it. Levy money now totals about 17% of the Port Angeles School District’s budget. Programs like athletics, music, drama, debate and other student activities get all of their funding from the levy. Part of the cost of busing to and from school comes from the levy. Almost all of the regular maintenance that must be done to keep buildings repaired, most of the cost for teacher training, and almost one-fourth of the cost of providing special education services comes from the levy.
Q:Does the district still need levy money if enrollment is falling?
A:Yes. When enrollment is declining, so too, does the amount of money received from the state. This is because state funding is based on the numbers of students being served by the district. As state funding declines, due to lower enrollment, the local levy dollars become a larger portion of the dollars needed for maintaining the day-to-day operations of schools. And the school must still have a principal, a secretary, a custodian, and the entire facility maintained.
Q:Does passing this levy mean that the district can avoid closing additional schools in September 2007?
A:The current school closure and realignment process presumes the successful passage of a February 6, 2007 maintenance and operations levy. Otherwise, the district would have to make additional budget cuts of $4 to 7 million per year.
Q:What if the levy doesn’t pass?
A:A levy failure will mean elimination or reduction of significant levy-supported programs and activities that enrich and support the lives and education of our children, and could critically impact our families and community. Cutting the budget to fund only the bare minimum would require the reduction of quality teaching staff and support services, plus much more.
Q:Can’t the money to do these things be found somewhere else?
A:The levy is the “somewhere else.” Schools are limited by law as to where they can raise the money—the levy is the primary place allowed.
Q:Can we use bond money to meet levy-funded needs?
A:Bond money and levy money are for two completely different purposes. Bond money must be used to build or replace school buildings and major equipment. Maintenance and operation levies help pay for the annual cost of running our schools. The school district can not use bond funds for normal operations. Washington school districts depend on maintenance and operation levies for operating revenue.
Q:Am I tax exempt?
A:An exemption is available for qualifying seniors and low-income homeowners. Those interested should contact the County Assessor’s office by phone at 360.417.2000 or email: assessor@co.clallam.wa.us.
Q:Does passing the levy support local economic development?
A:Yes, it does. Area realtors, Clallam County Economic Development Council leadership, and Olympic Medical Center spokespersons have stated that businesses, physicians, and families ask about quality schools when thinking about moving to or starting a business in Port Angeles. The maintenance and operations levy is necessary to provide money for basic education, for special education, and for a well-rounded education.
Updated 1/29/07.
Levy questions, comments and suggestions may be sent via email to: levy@portangelesschools.org, or by U.S. Mail to: Superintendent, Port Angeles School District, 216 East Fourth Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
Click here to return to Levy News.