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INSIDE
School
M&O levy on February 3 ballot
by Rebecca
Schwarz Kopf
Voters will
be asked to pass a maintenance and operations levy on Tuesday,
February 3, allowing the Blaine school district to maintain its
quality of education, officials said.
“This is
not a new tax,” Blaine superintendent Dr. Mary Lynne Derrington
stated. “It is not a frill. It is not an extra. It is essential
of the program we offer.”
A little
more than 20 percent of the Blaine school district’s budget relies
on the levy through the taxpayer, Dr. Derrington said. State funding
comprises 52 percent of the budget, grants are 17 percent, and
federal funds only make up 10 percent.
“The levy
is 21 percent of our budget which funds essentials such as 9.5
teachers and 10 support staff,” she said. “Twenty-one percent
of our budget is significant.”
The state
from which Blaine gets the majority of its funding excludes
many things that both school officials and the community feel
are important. “For example, any enrichment program such as sports
and clubs, none of that is funded any other way except through
the levy,” Derrington said.
Back in 2000,
Blaine voters approved a four-year levy, and this 2004 request
continues that. The maintenance and operations levy is used for
basic education, unlike a capital projects bond which is used
for construction.
“We can only
levy a dollar amount, and that is a percentage of our budget.
We cannot by law levy any more than 24 percent of our budget,”
Derrington said.
Currently,
Blaine school district has the lowest dollar per thousand rate
in the county at $1.75. Ferndale is the next lowest at $3.16 and
Mt. Baker tops districts at $3.49.
The levy
needs 60 percent of the vote to pass, and in past years approximately
30 percent of the voter base turned out to the polls. “That is
not a simple majority. This makes it very high stakes for us.
A school levy takes a 60 percent yes vote.”
So what happens
if the levy fails? “Well, we would be making plans to lay off
9.5 teachers, 10 other support staff, and eliminate programs funding
by the levy,” Derrington said. “I’ve been through it once in 25
years and it is a shock to people when they see what the levy
funds by what is cut. You end up with a very bare bones program.”
The following
is a breakdown of the Blaine taxpayer’s current levy dollar: $0.71
is for student learning improvement, library books and instructional
material, teacher, support staff, campus security, student safety
and recess supervision; $0.04 is used towards after school activities
for all grade levels and athletics; and $0.25 is for utilities,
building maintenance, grounds case and buses.
The levy
increases a few cents yearly due to an increase in property assessment
and the addition of more students in the district, she said.
“You have
increased costs, but no more money. In fact, money is cut from
state. Then you figure out where you have to reduce and economize.”
Senior citizens
61 and older in the community who have a gross household income
less than $30,000, qualify to pay no special levy costs. Those
citizens are encouraged to contact the Whatcom County Assessor’s
Office at 676-6790 for more information.
“You often
hear the schools are the heart of the community and I have observed
that is absolutely true. In my experience here, there are far
less youth oriented agencies and opportunities for positive activities,
than there are in other communities,” Derrington said. “And that
makes the school really an important focus for kids for healthy
production, in addition to learning. Those are all levy funded.”
For more
information, visit online at http://info.blainelevy.org.
The election is February 3.
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