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Proposition No. 1
Submitted by
Peninsula School District No. 401
SCHOOL MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION LEVIES
Official Ballot Title:
Shall the following excess taxes for the purposes of operation and maintenance, including, but not limited to, the purchase of school buses, be levied in excess of all regular property tax levies, upon all taxable property within Peninsula School District No. 401:
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Collection Year
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Estimated Rate per $1,000 Of Assessed Value
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Amount
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1999
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$2.59
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$10,598,000
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2000
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$2.59
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$11,026,000
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as specified in Resolution No. 98-04?
Explanatory Statement:
The Peninsula School District is requesting renewal of local support for the Maintenance and Operation Levy in the amount of $10,598,000 for collection in 1999 and $11,026,000 for collection in 2000. The estimated cost per $1,000 assessed value is $2.59 for 1999 and $2.59 for 2000, and will not exceed the $2.59 rate. The rate may be lower than the projected estimates.
Approval of the requested levy will maintain the teaching and classified positions, and instructional programs reinstated over the past year. The District has undertaken a substantial commitment to educational improvement. This program will continue and be expanded during 1999 and 2000. Additionally, facility repairs will be continued, maintenance improved and school buses replaced.
These local levy funds support educational and maintenance programs not fully funded by the State. This Maintenance and Operations levy provides approximately 16% of the District’s operating budget. The remainder of District funding is from state (77%), federal (4%), and other (3%) sources.
Statement For:
Statement prepared by: Ron Jones & John Jewell
Not A New Tax
Your vote simply renews the levy which expires in 1998. Your tax rate will remain substantially the same.
Teaching And Student Support
This levy funds about 20% of the basic education for children. These funds are desperately needed until the State decides to adequately fund schools.
70% of the money collected will go directly to teaching and student support. This ensures manageable class size and adequate clerical support. It continues positive extended-day activities which enhance skills, reduce crime and provide children with equity in after school programs. Our students now rank among the top 10% of all students in Washington. We want to continue this exceptional record by passing this levy.
Building Support, Maintenance And Transportation
30% will go directly towards a long range maintenance program keeping our valuable school properties physically sound. Our district intends to purchase 8 buses in 1999 and 8 buses in 2000. Our fleet of 69 buses is the fourth oldest in the state. We will replace 16 of the oldest buses. Newer buses are safer, more efficient, and less costly to operate, which is significant with over a million miles traveled each year by our fleet.
Sound Fiscal Policies
The School Board, Superintendent, and Community Advisory Committee are carefully scrutinizing every tax dollar entrusted to them. As a result, the Peninsula School District continually ranks among the lowest cost per $1000 valuation to tax payers in the county.
This levy benefits kids: please vote yes! Remember It’s more than a vote...it’s our future!
Statement prepared by: Ron Jones & John Jewell
Statement Against:
We are again being asked to raise our property taxes over $1100 per student, even though we said no in February and have heard no new reasons to change our decision.
Why you should feel good about voting no:
Property Tax Cut
Property tax statements recently arrived in the mail. 54% of our property tax goes to schools. We think that is too much. This is a new tax because the current levy expires. A no vote is voting yourself an over 20% property tax cut.
Do Levy Supporters Truly Support the Levy?
Did levy supporters pay the district the amount they would have paid in property tax when the levies failed? People give money to causes they believe in. Do the supporters truly believe in this levy?
A No Vote Equals Improved Efficiency
In the competitive, free enterprise system, business’ are constantly seeking ways to cut costs, become more efficient and please the customer. They improve because of competition. Government entities, (the school district being one), are monopolies. If competition leads to less cost and better service, what does a lack of competition lead to? It seems the only way to compel government entities to be more efficient is to cut back their funding. We have the tremendous privilege of helping the school district become more efficient by voting no.
Cost Per Student
This year the district will spend over $7200 per student. Any private school charging that much per student with the same results would be out of business in no time.
Your no vote is required to defeat this property tax increase, not voting won’t help.
Statement prepared by: Jim Hagman, Citizens for Responsible School Spending
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