I urge voters in the Everett School District to approve the district’s upcoming levy and capital bond.
Proposition 1 replaces the existing levy and will raise an average of $49 million each year for four years. This is required to make up the difference between the actual district operating expenses and the funding provided by the state and federal governments.
Proposition 2 is a $330.6 million capital bond for the modernization and expansion of existing facilities, purchase of property and the construction of a south end comprehensive high school for a district that expects to increase by 1,600 students in the next 10 years.
The largest bond project is the new high school with an estimated total cost of $216.8 million. To check the validity of the project cost, the district compared the estimate with the construction costs of recently built high schools in the area. When all factors were consider, the data confirmed the estimate is comparable to the real costs of these high schools and is nearly identical to the nearby North Creek High School that opened in 2014. While I have simplified a fairly complex issue, anyone interested in the data could contact the Everett School District at 425-385-4040.
Approval of both issues is projected to result in a stable levy and bond tax rate for the next several years at a level less than we pay now, and it will be an investment in our most valuable asset: our kids. Vote yes.
Larry O’Donnell
Everett
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