School levy ballots hitting Whatcom County mailboxes

Ballots for the Feb. 14 special election were mailed to Whatcom County voters starting Friday, Jan. 27.

All seven public school districts in the county are asking voters to approve levies, with Blaine schools also asking for a yes vote on a $3 million bond.

In Ferndale, voters also are being asked to increase the city's sales tax by 0.2 percent to raise money for road repairs.

Here's a look at levies for two of the seven school districts. Stories on ballots measures from the other five school districts will be published next week.

The levies and sales tax need a simple majority of 50.1 percent to pass. The bond needs 40 percent voter turnout from the last general election and 60 percent approval to pass.

When voters approve a levy, they are approving the maximum amount of money a district can collect in property taxes from residents. The tax rate may fluctuate, but the bottom-line amount the district receives can't be above the approved amounts.

The levies go before voters as the weak economy drags on and at a time when schools are depending more on local dollars because of shrinking state and federal funding - including expected losses in levy equalization money.

Levy equalization funding helps property-tax poor districts that can't raise much revenue through taxes.

BELLINGHAM

The Bellingham School District is asking voters to approve two replacement levies that would bring in about $32 million to $37 million a year through 2016.

They would replace levies that expire in 2012.

The four-year measures are the maintenance and operations levy, and the technology levy.

The levies would pay for nearly 25 percent of the cost of education - including teaching, textbooks, athletics, full-time kindergarten and school bus transportation - in Bellingham schools, which have about 10,400 students, and for technology, which the state doesn't fund.

The technology piece would help make sure that schools have infrastructure that could support technology, as well as training staff in the use of it.

"These levies impact pretty much the entire operation," Bellingham Superintendent Greg Baker said.

He talked about Bellingham schools "making a promise that we're going to prepare our kids for the world ahead of them."

"That's a big endeavor that takes investment," he said.

Bellingham doesn't receive levy equalization money.

If approved, the owner of a $250,000 home would pay on average about $96 more a year in property taxes, beginning in 2013, for both levies.

Combined with payments for a 2006 bond, the estimated tax rate would be $3.90 per $1,000 of a home's assessed value in 2013. That means a person with a home assessed at $250,000 would pay about $975 in 2013.

LYNDEN

Voters in the Lynden School District are being asked to approve a four-year maintenance and operations levy that would help pay for the day-to-day operations of the district.

It would replace the two-year maintenance and operations levy that expires at the end of 2012. Officials decided to ask for a four year-levy so the district doesn't have to pay for another election in two years.

If approved by voters, the levy would raise $5.35 million in 2013 to $5.65 million in 2016. (CORRECTION: This amount was corrected from an earlier version of this story.)

The owner of a $250,000 home would pay about $115 more in school property taxes in 2013 than 2012.

"The cost for running schools continues to increase. In order to try to sustain programs, we have decided to ask for additional local support," said Jim Frey, superintendent for the Lynden School District.

The district will receive about $360,000 in levy equalization money in 2012.

Last year, when cuts came down the district was able to avoid cutting programs because it had some savings.

This year, that's not going to be the case and the district likely will have to make some cuts, Frey said.

"Even with the increase, we're going to be short," he said.

The levy would make up 20 percent of the district's operating budget, and is a significant part of paying for the cost of educating the district's more than 2,800 students - including for teachers, textbooks, classroom supplies, music and athletics.

"The Lynden community has been very supportive of Lynden School District in the past," Frey said. "We hope they'll continue their support."

In approved, the estimated property tax rate would be $2.98 per $1,000 of a home's assessed value in 2013. Lynden residents don't have school bond payments in their property taxes; the last bond was paid off in 2010.

BELLINGHAM LEVY FACTS

Here's a quick look at the estimated tax rates property owners in Bellingham School District would pay if voters on Feb. 14 approve two replacement levies - one for maintenance and operations, the other for technology.

The estimated rates below combine the proposed levies, as well as a 2006 bond. Tax rates for the bond range from 60 cents on the low end up to 91 cents.

• 2013: $3.90 per $1,000 of a home's assessed value.

• 2014: $4.10.

• 2015: $4.16.

• 2016: $4.06.

Additional information on the four-year levies is online at bellinghamschools.org/levyfacts.

LYNDEN LEVY FACTS

Here's a quick look at the estimated tax rates property owners in Lynden School District would pay if voters on Feb. 14 approve a replacement levy for maintenance and operations.

• 2013: $2.98 per $1,000 of a home's assessed value.

• 2014: $2.99.

• 2015: $3.

• 2016: $3.01.

Additional information on the four-year levy is online at lynden.wednet.edu.