Puyallup voters will be asked in November to raise their taxes to support schools
The Puyallup School District has decided to ask voters in November for an additional $0.76 per $1,000 of assessed property value to help pay for staff, extracurricular activities and upkeep of school grounds.
Board president Kathy Yang said the new two-year levy is crucial.
“We realize this is a difficult time for many of our families, but the school district is facing an extremely difficult financial situation in the near future that will necessitate cuts in our educational programs and staffing if we do not have additional funding,” she said in an email.
Without the surplus, school district funds will be “insufficient to enable the district to pay for all educational programs and daily operations to properly meet the educational needs of students.”
“Therefore, the Educational Programs Replacement Levy is still critical to the continued service to our students and families,” the agenda item said.
Between a growing district and meeting state mandates for classroom size, the district has dipped into its reserves. During the last school year, the district spent $323 million, but only brought in $310 million. If spending continues and there is no increase in taxes, over the next three years the district estimates it will run a budget deficit of $27,684, 057.
The school board approved the supplemental levy measure on Aug. 3. The “Supplemental Educational Programs And Operations Levy” would increase tax on an existing levy from $1.74 to $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
If approved, total taxes the school district collects would increase from the current $3.83 per $1,000 of assessed property value to $4.32. These taxes include a technology levy and a bond for construction of the elementary and junior highs.
If voters approve the tax increase, the tax rate would be lower than other Pierce County school districts, which vary from Sumner Bonney Lake’s $5.38 per $1,000 of assessed property value to Orting’s $4.82.
What is the levy?
This supplemental levy will add more funding to the four-year Educational Programs levy that was passed in February 2018. Last year, the state Legislature raised the “levy lid,” or the maximum amount school districts can ask for, from $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value to $2.50.
The two-year levy expansion would bring in an estimated $17.8 million in 2021 and $19.2 million in 2022, according to an Aug. 3 presentation.
The funds will cover costs of teachers, aids, nurses, textbooks, extracurricular activities and maintaining school grounds.
Yang pointed to recent 20 percent cuts in central administration as a continued effort to be efficient in the school district budget.
“This EP&O levy is just what is needed for the continuation of current services to our students, keeping class sizes reasonable, and necessary maintenance of our facilities,” she said.
Without additional funding, the next step would be to review school budgets and staffing models, district spokesperson Sarah Gillispie said.
If the supplemental levy is not approved, the district estimates a budget deficit of over $27 million in the next three years.
“This will deplete our general fund,” Yang said.
This story was originally published August 14, 2020 at 5:05 AM.
