FRONT PAGE

Overcrowding spurs district’s future plans

By Pat Grubb

Students, teachers and administrators have all got their fingers crossed that voters will approve two money measures that will be appearing on a special election to be held March 11. Ballots will be mailed to district voters on February 20.

The first measure is a maintenance and operations levy. A levy is a property tax on real estate that helps finance educational programs and operations of the public schools. The levy specifies an amount to be collected each year. This is a renewal of the replacement levy approved in February 2004. If approved, voters would be replacing the current four-year levy expiring at the end of 2008.

The levy amounts being requested are: $4,650,000 for 2009; $4,880,000 for 2010; $5,130,000 for 2011 and $5,380,000 for 2012.

The levy rate is based on the total assessed valuation of all the real property within the district boundaries.

The current 2007 rate is $1.09 per $1,000 valuation. Actual tax rates are set by the county and may be lower than projected depending upon the overall assessed valuation of property within the school district. Historically, the actual rate has been lower than the estimated rate.

The projected rates for 2009-2012 are lower than the four year (2005-08) average rate of $1.45 per $1000 of assessed valuation. The estimated tax rates for the proposed levy levels (cost per $1000 of assessed valuation) are $1.19 for 2009; $1.23 for 2010; $1.25 for 2011 and $1.30 for 2012. The levy currently represents 21% of the district’s budget.

Because of the high valuation of the BP Refinery, it represents 24% of the tax base in the Blaine school district and pays a significant share of the Maintenance and operations levy total. The resulting impact to home owners is significantly less than what many of our neighboring districts would have to levy to raise a similar level of tax revenue.

Capital Projects Bond
The second measure on the ballot is the Capital Projects Bond. The proposal totals $40 million and is roughly focused on four areas:
• Blaine high school ($30 million)
• Birch Bay elementary school ($1.5
million)
• Facility upgrades ($4.5 million)
• Fields & stadium ($4 million)

Officials cite enrollment growth as the driving factors behind the bond proposal as well as aging and inadequate infrastructure. Enrollment has increased from 1,798 students in 1997-8 to 2,249 students in the 2006-7 school year.

According to proponents, the bond would allow for additional classrooms, support the latest educational technology, increase the number and quality of science labs, and provide sufficient space for band, choir, vocational and visual art instruction.

uch of the high school facility is now 35 years old. Administrators say there is an urgent need to remodel as well as add to the facilities in order to accommodate a current student population of 700 in facilities designed for 400.

Additionally, there would be separate cafeterias for the middle and high schools and expanded cafeteria space at Blaine elementary.

The plan would also allow for improvements to the athletic facilities at Pipeline Field and the stadium. A covered play area would be installed at Blaine primary school and assorted facility safety upgrades. The remodeling anticipates reducing the number of entries to the campus and thereby enhancing security of the campus as a whole.

The proposal anticipates land acquisition for a future elementary school in Birch Bay whose population continues to grow.

The existing 2007 bond rate is $0.83 per $1,000 valuation. If the measure is successful at the polls, the bond rate would increase by a projected $.50 per $1000 valuation.

This represents an additional $150 annually on property valued at $300,000.