Voters to decide on educational program and operations levies

ROYAL CITY, MATTAWA — Voters in two local school districts will decide on replacement educational program and operations (EP&O) levy proposals in a special election Feb. 8.

Levy proposals are on the ballot in both the Royal and Wahluke school districts. Because they are school levies, they require a bare majority, 50% plus one vote, to pass.

In the Royal School District, voters decide on a two-year levy proposal, which would generate $1.37 million each year. It would replace a two-year levy approved by voters in 2020.

If the levy is approved, property owners in the district would pay an estimated $1.61 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2023 and $1.59 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2024. That’s about the same as the levy approved in 2020.

The owner of property valued at $200,000 could pay about $318 in the first year and $322 in the second year. A landowner whose property was valued at $300,000 could pay about $477 in the first year, and about $483 in the second year.

Wahluke School District voters also will be voting on a two-year levy. If it’s approved, the levy would generate $2.23 million in 2023 and $2.35 million in 2024.

If the proposal gets voter approval, property owners would pay $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value both years. Wahluke superintendent Andy Harlow said that’s the same rate as the current levy, approved by voters in 2020.

A property owner whose property has an assessed value of $200,000 would pay $500 per year in taxes. The owner of property with an assessed value of $300,000 would pay $750 in taxes for the levy.

Both districts use the money generated through the levy to plug gaps in programs and services not adequately funded by state and federal school funds, and to pay for programs not funded by the state at all. That includes all extracurricular activities, from the junior high basketball program to the elementary robotics teams, high school FFA and Future Business Leaders of America clubs to elementary field trips.

In both districts, some of the levy money is used to pay for additional teachers and counselors. State officials use a formula, based on the number of students in school, to determine how many teachers and counselors will be funded with state money. Districts that want more teachers and counselors than the state apportionment pays for, including Royal and Wahluke, make up the difference with locally-approved levy funds.

Both districts use levy money to fund additional health services, career and technical education programs and to upgrade district technology, among other things.

Ballots must be dropped off or postmarked by Feb. 8. A ballot drop box is available next to the Confluence Health Clinic in Royal City, 101 Camelia St. NE. The Mattawa-area drop box is in front of the Mattawa Community Clinic, 210 Government Road.