Edmonds, Northshore levies set

By Pamela Brice

For the Herald

It wasn’t by design, but the Edmonds and Northshore school districts have placed remarkably similar packages on Tuesday’s ballot.

Both opted for four-year maintenance and operation levies, school construction bonds and four-year technology levies.

The similarities are a coincidence, said Debbie Jakala, Edmonds School District spokeswoman.

Here is a breakdown of each proposition:

Eighteen percent of the Edmonds School District’s operating budget is going before voters Tuesday.

A 60 percent "yes" vote cast by 40 percent of the voters who turned out last November is needed for passage of the four-year $121.8 million levy.

The turnout requirement caused a similar levy to fail by 19 votes in February 1998, but when brought before voters again in April that year it passed with 66 percent approval.

Also on the ballot is a 20-year, $110 million capital construction bond for rebuilding Lynnwood and Scriber Lake high schools and several smaller projects, including seismic upgrades to several schools.

The third proposition on the ballot is a $24 million technology levy to put more computers in classrooms, officials said.

If all three propositions pass and previous voter-approved construction bond measures are added in, taxpayers would pay an average of $5.72 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, or $1.13 per $1,000 more than they are currently paying.

On a $180,000 home, the total cost would be about $1,029.60 a year.

"It’s a bit of a tax increase, but we are hoping it’s not a deal breaker," schools superintendent Wayne Robertson said. "We held community forums in the fall, and they felt that this tax rate puts us in the middle of the pack, regionally."

Assistant superintendent Ellen Kahan said the maintenance and operations levy provides for education assistants in the classroom, librarians, counselors, music and physical education teachers, transportation, extracurricular activities and special education.

Dave Golden, principal at Lynnwood High School, said that school is 30 years old and due for attention.

"There is an underground stream going under our school, and at certain points the water wants to be 10 feet higher than it is now, and we have pumps going throughout our building," Golden said.

Scriber Lake is the district’s alternative school in the 20000 block of 52nd Avenue W. It was formerly located on 56th Avenue W., where the new building would be built if the construction bond passes.

"It’d be a big relief" if the bond passes, interim principal Greg Kramer said.

Concerning the technology levy, Cynthia Nelson, director of technology, said, "We have approximately 7,000 computers in the district, and about 70 percent of them are obsolete."

While new computers have been coming into schools thanks to donations and other contributions, the levy would make sure all students have access to them, she said.

The last technology levy was in 1996, before the district realized the impact the Internet would have on learning, she said.

Voters in the Northshore School District will be asked to approve two school levies and a bond issue. All three propositions replace similar measures that expire this year.

Even if all three measures pass, taxpayers would see a reduction in their overall tax rate.

On the ballot are a four-year $132 million maintenance and operations levy to supplement basic education funding, a four-year $14 million technology levy and a 20-year, $98 million capital projects bond.

Currently, the owner of a $200,000 home pays approximately $1,196 in annual school taxes. Even if all three propositions are approved, that cost would go down by $162.

The capital bond will help in the modernization of five schools: Cottage Lake and Lockwood elementary schools, Canyon Park and Northshore junior highs, and Bothell High School. The money will also go toward an administration building and making field improvements at 13 school sites.

Pamela Brice is a staff writer for the Enterprise weekly newspapers. You can call her at 425-673-6522 or e-mail her at brice@heraldnet.com.

Maintenance and operation levy rate: $2.82 per $1,000 for 2003; $2.73 per $1,000 for 2004; $2.83 per $1,000 for 2005; $2.89 per $1,000 for 2006.

Cost on a $180,000 home: $507 for 2003; $491 for 2004; $509 for 2005; $520 for 2006

Amount raised: $28.5 million for 2003; $29.5 million for 2004; $31.2 million for 2005; $32.6 million for 2006.

Proposed rate: 55 cents per $1,000.

Cost on a $180,000 home: $99.

Amount raised: $5.6 million for 2003; $6 million for 2004; $6.1 million for 2005; $6.3 million for 2006

Proposed rate: 55 cents per $1,000 in first year.

Cost on a $180,000 home: $99

Amount raised: $110 million.

Proposed maintenance and operation levy rates: $2.51 per $1,000 for 2003; $2.59 for 2004; $2.74 for 2005; $2.80 for 2006.

Cost on a $200,000 home: $502 for 2003; $518 for 2004; $548 for 2005; $560 for 2006.