Northshore School District will run a $12 million Supplemental Educational Maintenance and Operations Levy on Aug. 17 to help sustain funding support for student learning.
The supplemental levy would help sustain--not enhance--the district's current educational program. In March, the state legislature passed a law allowing communities to temporarily increase the amount of local levy support for their schools through a supplemental levy. The four-year measure would help offset statewide funding cuts by increasing the levy lid by 4%.
If passed, the district could collect up to a maximum of $12 million over four years: $4.5 million in 2011; $2.3 million in 2012; and $2.6 million in 2013 and 2014. The district may collect only up to the amount approved by voters regardless of assessed valuation changes.
| Collection Years | Approximate
Levy Rate/$1,000
Assessed Value | Levy Amount |
| 2011 | $.20 | $4,500,000 |
| 2012 | $.10 | $2,300,000 |
| 2013 | $.11 | $2,600,000 |
| 2014 | $.11 | $2,600,000 |
Supplemental levy would sustain, not enhance
− Northshore has made $20 million in cuts and budget ajustments over the past 5 years.
− Northshore has implemented significant staffing and program reductions.
− Future state funding cuts likely--current project is a $3 billion state deficit for next year.
− Federal stimulus money being used to "backfill" the state budget will end next year.
Cost
An average annual increase of $56 is projected for a $400,000 home over the four years of the measure, if passed. The overall school tax rate with the supplemental levy is projected to be $4.24 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2011 and is projected to drop to $4.14-$4.15 per $1,000 of assessed property value from 2012-14.
| Year | Property Value* | ProjectedTotal
School Tax Rate with
Supplemental Levy/$1,000 | Current
Projected
Annual School Tax** | Projected
Annual School Tax with
Supplemental Levy | Projected
Supplemental Levy
Increase |
| 2010 | $400,000 | $4.04 | $1,616 | $0 | $0 |
| 2011 | $412,000 | $4.24 | $1,664 | $1,747 | $83 |
| 2012 | $424,360 | $4.14 | $1,714 | $1,757 | $43 |
| 2013 | $437,091 | $4.15 | $1,766 | $1,814 | $48 |
| 2014 | $450,204 | $4.15 | $1,819 | $1,868 | $49 |
*2011-2014 assessed value is estimated to increase at 3% per year. **The 2010 school tax rate does not include a supplemental levy.
Calculate your projected annual school tax
[Your Assessed Property Value] ÷ $1,000 = __________ x $4.24 = [Total Projected Annual School Tax with a supplemental levy]
Information about property tax exemptions for senior citizens or disabled persons
Senior citizens or disabled persons may qualify for tax exemption from special levies. Contact the assessor's office for more information: King County, 206.296.3920; Snohomish County, 425.388.3540.
More Information
More information about this measure is available by contacting the Communications Department at 425.408.7670.
Didn’t the district just have an election in February 2010?
Yes, the district ran a Renewal Education Operations Support Levy in February that replaced the expiring levy. In March, the state legislature passed SHB 2893, a law that changed the levy law through 2017, allowing local communities to provide additional levy funding for their local schools. The law increased the district’s levy lid by 4%, from 24.9% to 28.9% of the district's combined state and federal revenue.
What is the supplemental levy?
The supplemental levy would temporarily increase the levy lid (the maximum amount allowed by law that a school district can collect in levy funding) by 4% through 2017. The new law also allows school districts with a currently approved local levy to hold a supplemental levy election to ask voters to consider additional levy authority created by the temporary increase in the levy lid.
Northshore’s proposed supplemental levy is a four-year, temporary measure intended to supplement the Renewal Education Operations Support Levy approved by voters in February. The supplemental levy would provide up to $12 million between 2011-2014 to help sustain the district’s current educational program and help to offset state funding cuts.
How will the district use the funds?
These funds would be used to help sustain the district’s current educational program and offset state funding cuts.
Did the district gather community input before deciding to run a supplemental levy?
Yes, the school board gathered community input on whether to place a supplemental levy on the ballot. Board members spoke individually with constituents and held “Conversations with the School Board” meetings in March. In addition, the district presented information on the supplemental levy at three budget workshops in April and gathered feedback, as well as conducted an online survey. Eighty-two percent of nearly 1,000 respondents favored presenting the option to the community for consideration.
How will the supplemental levy impact my taxes?
The district’s 2010 school tax rate is $4.04 per $1,000 of assessed property value. If passed, it is projected that overall school tax rate with a supplemental levy would be $4.24 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2011, $4.14 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2012; and $4.15 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2013 and 2014.
Below is an equation to calculate your total projected school tax (with the supplemental levy):
[Your Assessed Home Value] ÷ $1,000 = _______________ x $4.24* = [Total Projected Annual School Tax with a supplemental levy]
*Total school tax rate with a supplemental levy is projected to be $4.24 in 2011, $4.14 in 2012 and $4.15 in 2013 and 2014.
