Quincy school EP&O levy to be on ballot

QUINCY — The Quincy School District (QSD) is asking voters to approve an educational programs and operations (EP&O) levy in the special election Tuesday that is expected to bring in more than $34 million between 2023 and 2026.

The proposed four-year levy would generate $8,359,000 in 2023, $8,610,000 in 2024, $8,868,000 in 2025 and $9,134,000 in 2026.

The EP&O levy would cost $1.25 per $1,000 of property valuation. For instance, a home valued at $300,000 would pay $375 a year in taxes toward the EP&O levy.

The replacement levy is smaller than those of years past. Since 2015, the levy rate has dropped from $2.90 per $1,000 of valuation to the requested $1.25 per $1,000 of valuation.

A fact sheet distributed by the Quincy School District states data centers will pay 60.6% of the cost of the levy, while citizens, farmers and other businesses will make up the rest.

The funds generated by the levy would go toward programs, such as athletics, special education, counseling and mental health services, instructional materials and transportation, among others.

Dr. Nik Bergman, superintendent of Quincy Public Schools, said he was not going to tell people to vote yes or no; his purpose was just to tell people to vote.

“The levy supports some important programs for our students,” said Bergman.

He highlighted QSD has counselors in every single one of its schools, as well as several mental health therapists and two social workers. He said it would be very difficult to have all that mental and emotional health support for their students without the levy.

Rebecca Pettingill can be reached via email at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.