Auburn School District officials gathered Tuesday night to celebrate another successful maintenance and operation levy.
The renewal levy passed with 55.3 percent of the vote among 9,740 returned ballots in King and Pierce counties in the all-mail election.
“We’re very excited and grateful for the support of our community,” Auburn School District Superintendent Alan Spicciati said Tuesday night at the district’s headquarters. “Auburn has always supported schools and it really makes a difference for our kids.”
A simple majority of more than 50 percent is required to pass the levy. The previous levy, which was passed in 2012 with 59.75 percent of the vote in King and Pierce counties, expires this month. That means the new collection rate would begin midway through the 2016-17 school year.
Property owners would pay an estimated $4.13 per $1,000 of assessed property value during the first year of the levy. Actual levy rates will depend on whether property value projections by the King County auditor come to fruition. Those projections were used in calculating levy rate estimates.
The levy will collect $40.7 million in 2017, $43 million in 2018, $45.4 million in 2019 and $47.75 million in 2020. The total tax rate will remain level.
Estimated levy rates in 2018, 2019 and 2020 are $4.23, $4.34 and $4.43 per thousand, respectively.
Funds from the levy are used for all athletics and activities, special education, textbooks, supplies, counselors, nurses, grounds, building maintenance, honors and Advanced Placement education and transportation. The levy comprises 21 percent of the district’s funding.
Thirteen percent of levy funding is dedicated to special education. Athletics and activities receive the same amount. Many school districts use revenues generated from participation fees at the middle and high schools to defray costs to play sports. The ASD does not. School board president Anne Baunach said her colleagues discussed that numerous times, but they have concluded that a pay-to-play system would prohibit some students from competing.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the community support,” Baunach said. “This is so critical to our district.”
The majority of levy funds – 59 percent – are dedicated to educational programs and operations. That includes additional teachers for a variety of programs along with additional textbooks and supplies, among other educational tools in classrooms.
Cindi Blansfield, the district’s assistant superintendent for business and operations, said the levy is a significant component of ASD’s budget, which is about $195.2 million this school year.
