Arlington schools seek to renew levy, at slightly lower cost

ARLINGTON — Voters are being asked to renew a local levy for maintenance and operations in the Arlington School District.

The levy would provide nearly $57 million over the next four years for supplies, staff, technology, extracurriculars and academic programs.

The Arlington School Board on Monday decided to put a tax measure on the February ballot. A special election is set for Feb. 9.

The measure would renew a levy that expires at the end of 2016. Voters last approved it in 2012. Local taxes provide between a fifth and a quarter of the schools’ general fund, depending on the year. Most of the budget comes from state dollars, with about 5 percent from federal sources.

The current levy rate is $3.60 per $1,000 assessed value, or about $900 per year on a $250,000 home. The renewal would be for an estimated $3.56 per $1,000, an annual decrease of about $10 for a $250,000 home.

Levy dollars go toward: science, technology, engineering and math projects; career and tech education classes; world languages, history and English classes; health and fitness programs; and arts, music and drama courses. New programs have been added that are covered by the levy money, including a STEM project at Post Middle School and a manufacturing and construction geometry course at Arlington High School. The school resource officer also is supported by the levy.

The Arlington School District has one high school, two middle schools, four elementaries and two alternative school options.

There is one other outstanding tax measure on the books for Arlington schools. A $54 million bond that paid to build Arlington High School, Presidents and Pioneer elementaries and renovations in other buildings is set to expire at the end of 2020. That rate is $1.50 per $1,000 assessed value, or $375 on a $250,000 home.

The maintenance and operations levy would generate about $13.3 million in 2017, $14 million in 2018, $14.5 million in 2019 and $15.1 million in 2020.

This year, the district levied nearly $12 million in local taxes, about a fifth of the $60 million general fund.

Public meetings about the tax measure are planned at 4 p.m. Jan. 7 and Jan. 20 in the Lincoln Room at the district’s administration building, 315 N. French Ave. More information is online at asd.wednet.edu.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.