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News / Clark County News

Evergreen school district puts two replacement levies on February ballot

Homeowners expected to pay estimated $4.03 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2026

By Brianna Murschel, Columbian staff writer
Published: November 13, 2024, 1:12pm

Evergreen Public Schools’ board voted Tuesday to put two replacement funding levies on the Feb. 11 ballot.

The two four-year levies — one for operations and the other for technology — would replace existing levies that expire at the end of 2025, according to a statement from the district.

The levies require a simple majority to pass.

Levy funds cover 13.5 percent of Evergreen’s overall budget for school services and programs. The local taxes pay for programs and services not funded by the state.

The operational levy would replace a three-year levy approved by voters in 2022 and raise a total of about $288.9 million over four years. According to the district, the levy would pay for:

  • Teachers, principals, counselors, coaches, safety and security and school support staff, including secretaries and paraeducators.
  • Extracurricular activities, including athletics, orchestra, band, choir, theater and field trips.
  • Special education, highly capable and smaller class sizes.
  • Curriculum, textbooks and professional development.

The technology levy, which would raise a total of around $50.5 million over four years, replaces a six-year levy approved by voters in 2019. It would pay for computers for students and staff, school audio-visual equipment and network infrastructure; technology staff; online curriculum, school communication systems and internet services; and emergency response systems, cybersecurity and internet safety software.

With the two levies and Evergreen’s 2018 bond, which paid for replacement of several schools and construction of a new district headquarters, homeowners are expected to pay an estimated $4.03 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2026, about $2,015 per year for a $500,000 house.

Each year, the tax rates are expected to decrease. Estimated rates:

2026: $4.03 ($2.75 levies, $1.28 bond)

2027: $3.85 ($2.59 levies, $1.26 bond)

2028: $3.71 ($2.47 levies, $1.24 bond)

2029: $3.59 ($2.38 levies, $1.21 bond)

Homeowners in 2024 pay $3.57 per $1,000 of assessed value — $1.59 for the existing operations levy, 39 cents for the existing tech levy and $1.59 for the 2018 bond measure. That’s about $1,785 for a $500,000 house.

The last time Evergreen sought a replacement levy, it took two tries to pass. The first attempt in February 2022 asked voters to approve an increase in the district’s tax rate to bring more money into schools. After the failure, the second attempt in April 2022 returned the rate to its previous amount to ensure it passed.

In Washington, school districts can run a levy a second time in the same calendar year if it fails the first time. If it fails twice, then the district has to wait another year.

Evergreen has 22,000 students in 38 schools in Clark County.

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