CAMANO: Replacement Levy Info – Dec. 6, 2023 (SCSD)
The Stanwood-Camano School District is sending out weekly informational newsletters about their Feb. 2024 replacement levy ballot measure. See all of the issues at this link.
Learn more about our levy
In this week’s levy update, let’s look at what this levy will cost.
When voters approve a school levy, they approve a total dollar amount — not a tax rate — a school district can collect. So if your property values change, the tax rate is adjusted to ensure the district collects no more than the capped dollar amount approved by voters for that year.
This levy is asking voters to approve a levy of $16.1 million in the first year of this replacement levy.
The estimated rate is $1.42 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Voters last approved this levy in 2020 at a rate of $1.57 per $1,000 of assessed property value during the first year of collection in 2021.
If your property’s assessed value goes up, the school levy rate goes down so that we don’t collect more than what voters approved for that calendar year. This is different from how state property tax collections function.
Estimated levy amounts
This EP&O levy — like most school levies in the state — asks voters to approve a higher total dollar amount each year as a way of planning for two main factors: Inflation and forecasted increase in our enrollment. According to estimates from our demographer’s 2022 study of growth in the area, the school district enrollment is forecast to increase between about 300-1,200 students by 2031 — requiring more levy dollars to help pay for positions and programming not covered by the state.
If enrollment and inflation don’t keep pace with projections, the total amount the school district can collect from the levy may be lower than the voter approved amount due to a state law that limits the actual certified levy amount.
In next week’s levy update, we’ll look at how we compare to neighboring school districts.
Read last week’s levy update message HERE.
Meanwhile, see more information about the levy at www.stanwood.wednet.edu/levy
Community levy presentation tonight (Dec. 7)!
Join us at 5:30 p.m. at the Camano City Schoolhouse to learn more about our levy and ask any questions you may have.
Can’t make it in-person? No problem. Watch live online via our Facebook page and Instagram. Online viewers can also ask questions!
Key facts about our levy …
- This is not a new tax — it would replace the existing and expiring levy
- Levy dollars are used for staff in every school building
- It funds the entirety of our General Fund spending on athletics
See additional information, meeting dates, and resources about the levy at www.stanwood.wednet.edu/levy
On the Ballot in February 2024
| STANWOOD-CAMANO SCHOOL DISTRICT |
|---|
| Proposition No. 1 Replacement Levy |
