Warden schools levy proposal passes easily with 63% in favor

WARDEN — Warden School District voters have approved a two-year educational programs and operations levy.

The levy measure received 675 “yes” votes and 391 “no” votes — 63% approval — in final vote totals released Tuesday when Grant County certified the election.

Because it’s a school programs and operations levy, the proposal needed a bare majority, 50% plus one vote, to pass.

The levy will generate $1,082,316 in 2021 and $1,168,901 in 2022.

Warden district property owners will pay an estimated $2 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which means the owner of a house valued at $250,000 will pay $500 in taxes. That’s 13 cents higher than the 2018 levy.

Warden Superintendent Dave LaBounty said the increase reflects additional expenses, as well as programs and services for children that aren’t paid for in education funds provided by state and federal governments. Health insurance costs have gone up, LaBounty said, and not all of the costs are covered. Levy money covers some gaps in federally funded programs.

The district will be eligible for an estimated $836,895 in levy equalization funding from the state if the levy passes. Levy equalization is a state program that provides extra state funding for districts that pass a levy but have relatively lower property values.

It replaces the maintenance and operations levy approved by voters in 2018. (In 2018 the Washington Legislature revised the programs that could be funded through the levy, which changed the name of the levy itself.)

LaBounty said the approval was “deeply appreciated” during the Nov. 12 Warden School Board meeting. Board member Kacy Campos expressed gratitude for the district residents who supported the levy, and the volunteers who helped with publicity.

In Warden, the levy includes money for some teaching and counseling positions, custodians and the school nurse, among other personnel. Levy money goes into updating curriculum and technology, the district’s early learning programs, as well as some maintenance costs, and other expenses.

All extracurricular activities are funded through levy money, including all middle school and high school sports. Warden has a no-cut policy, LaBounty said, which can contribute to higher expenses. Levy funds pay for all extracurricular activities, such as elementary school field trips, high school clubs such as FFA and activities such as middle school and high school band.