Stanwood-Camano School District
Learn about our replacement levy on the Feb. 13 ballot
In this week’s levy update, we will address some of the handful of responses to our last message seeking questions and concerns about the ballot measure.
Why does the district keep asking for more money? They just built a brand new high school and alternative school!
As the saying goes: “Levies are for learning. Bonds are for building.” The levy on the Feb. 13 ballot is asking the community to renew and replace our existing Educational Programs & Operations levy, not implement an additional levy. A levy is different from a bond, which may only be used toward construction. Levies fund the positions, programs, and people that fill the buildings. In 2017, voters approved a bond to build the new Stanwood High School, Church Creek Campus, Maintenance and Technology building, and high school playfields.
Where can I see a breakdown of your budget?
Our annual budget is on our website under the Budget tab on our Fiscal Services department page. There, you will find our 2023-24 Citizen’s Guide to the Budget and the more detailed 2023-24 Budget Report. Crafting a school district budget is a yearlong process. Anyone can help by being part of our Community Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC), which is a group of community members that play a key role in maintaining our long-term fiscal health and providing input on our budget priorities to ensure the community's values and priorities are accurately represented. Learn more about CBAC on our Get Involved page.
What happens if the levy fails?
Because this levy represents about 16% of our annual budget, the district would need to cut its budget. And because staffing expenditures are about 90% of the budget, there would be layoffs (resulting in higher class sizes) and elimination of programs (including within athletics). Where and to what degree classes and programs are reduced would be decided later with input from students, staff, and the community as part of a Budget Reduction Plan.
Will all this money just go toward salary increases?
The district uses levy funding to bridge the gap between what the state provides and the services our community wants. Levy dollars help pay for positions including sports, most safety and security personnel, and many other staffing costs such as teaching, nursing, and counseling. By law, levy funds can’t be used for state-funded base teacher salaries or for teachers performing basic education duties, but levy money may be used for hiring additional staff or paying teachers for additional duties, such as after-school programming.
Why don’t you just impose Impact Fees on developers responsible for all this new growth?
There are many hurdles a taxing agency must clear to possibly impose impact fees. For schools, one of the key requirements is that a district must be at enrollment capacity to be allowed to collect impact fees. The Stanwood-Camano School District is not at capacity. In addition, the amount received is generally only a small portion of the total cost of projects, and there are specific limits on how that money can be spent.
In next week’s levy update, we’ll explain recent changes to the state’s property tax relief programs for seniors and people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, see more information about the levy at www.stanwood.wednet.edu/levy
Find last week's levy update HERE.