Evergreen Public Schools is asking voters to approve an education programs and operations “replacement” levy. What the newsletter doesn’t tell you is that the district is asking voters to increase the local levy rate from the current $1.72 per assessed $1,000 in property value to $2.12 per assessed $1,000.
With the recent huge increase in assessed home values and using the district’s conservative growth assumptions for 2020 to 2025, in 2025 the district will collect $25.9 million more than in 2021, a 76.4 percent increase. With the city of Vancouver barely able to provide basic services (any crime in your neighborhood?), and the state school tax taking a larger share, it’s time to really look at local school funding requests.
