Lake Washington School District School Board and Administration met, 9/14, for a "Work Session" on Levy and Bond Planning. I sat in, took notes and enjoyed some fruit, a cookie and coffee. LWSD folks are friendly. The Work Session had two parts and they were probably trying to figure out what to do with me.
The first part of the Work Session involved study of three, large 11 X 17 inch budget sheets, revised 09/14/09. Two of the sheets were on 2010 Four-Year Capital Projects Levies for Facilities and Technology. The third sheet gave options for the Capital facility Planning Bond 2010 & 2014.
The Superintendent also presented review of school capacity and configuration and the Juanita Pool. Superintendent Dr. Kimball appeared to lecture to the School Board (and staff) as he presented the budgeting options for each funding project. Of course, lecturing is common practice of PhD's in education.. Each of the three funding projects had five (5) options. The School Board, again, left most of the talking to the Superintendent and appeared to settle on the middle option.
The second part of the meeting had "all the goodies". Based on the assumptions below, Dr. Kimball anticipated the 2010 Levy rate at $2.87 / $1000 assessed value OR a $1,435 school tax per year for the average house in the District. The present 2009 tax rate is $2.22. Increasing the tax rate to $2.87 would raise our school taxes on an average house in the District by $130.
Kimball's $1435 tax suggestion is an example and not etched in stone. Dr. Kimball handed out a "School Levy/Bond Recommendations" worksheet, asking the School Board to make their own calculations. By this time the School Board was tired and wanted to fill it out later. Me too. So, Dr. Kimball described his own worksheet calculation, as follows:
1. He assumed the community would go for the middle planning Option B for both levies and the bond.
2. He estimated the fair assessed value for the average home is $500,000.
3. He anticipated the Option B rate of the Capital Projects Levy at: ~ 0.21 for Facilities and 0.20 for Technology.
4. He anticipated the Educational Maintenance & Operations levy at: $1.29 / $1000 assessed value.
5. He anticipated the previously approved Debt Service Bonds at: $1.00 / $1000 assessed value.
6. The additional Cost of Modernization & School Construction Bond is deduced at 0.18 / $1000.
Add it all up: .18 + 1.00 + 1.29 + ~.21 + ~.20 = $2.87 tax rate / $1000. $1435 tax /average home
Six public meetings will be held in October LWSD to gather input. At these meetings, Superintendent Chip Kimball will review the various options for each measure, what the cost would be for each option and what that money would pay for. Citizens can fill out their own worksheets calculate anticipated costs per needs.
Oct. 7 – 3:00-4:30 p.m., Redmond Junior High
Oct. 8 – 7:00-8:30 p.m., Redmond High School
Oct. 13 – 3:00-4:30 p.m., Kamiakin Jr. High
Oct. 13 -- 7:00-8:30 p.m., Juanita High School
Oct. 14 – 7:00-8:30 p.m., Lake Washington High School
Director Kathryn Reith says, "The district is also looking at a potential bond measure to address potential overcrowding in the next several years and beyond. Enrollment is up by 240 students district-wide at the elementary level this year. Projections indicate that the district will need space for approximately 1300 more students by 2014 and 2500 more students by 2019-20."
by Bob yoder
This is a good research piece. What is critical but missing is how the levy would compare to today. Ie, how much extra tax would the $500k home pay in the proposal, versus today's tax structure? If the proposal is $1429, would this be versus $1350 today or.....?
ReplyDeleteGood question, Andy. According to the Budget Summary 2009-2010 on the LWSD website, the present 2009 tax rate is $2.22 / $1000 assessed property value or $1110 taxes / year.
ReplyDeleteThe $2.87 rate would increase our annual school tax on sn average home by $325.00.
Thanks, Bob, for taking on a very complex subject. Let me clarify a few things, though. First, the 2009 tax rate is $2.22 per thousand but that is based on an average assessed value of $594,000, for a tax of $1319. For 2010, the estimated tax rate will be $2.87 because the average assessed value dropped to $505,000, for a tax of $1449. Remember that both the 2009 and 2010 taxes are covered by the measures passed in February 2006. Also, keep in mind that those measures specified total amounts the district can levy, not tax rates. Our rates have been declining, from $4.01 per thousand in 2000 to $2.22 in 2009 because the average assessed value continued to rise during that time. For 2010, the rate is expected to rise mainly because of the decrease in assessed value. The expected increase of $130 for the average house for 2010 is primarily because the amount voters approved for collection increased.
ReplyDeleteThe input sessions will determine what goes into the measures that will go on the ballot in February, which would affect taxes beginning in 2011. You will be able to determine what the tax impacts will be of each of the options at during those sessions. For those who cannot make it to one of those sessions, we will have the same information posted on the district Web site, at www.lwsd.org.
Kathryn Reith, Communications Director, Lake Washington School District
I think Ms. Reith is referencing the previously approved bonds for Debt Service, which is $1.18 / $1000 - 41% of the total $2.87 rate.
ReplyDelete