Letters to the Editor: January 16, 2020

 

January 16, 2020



Support sought

As the chairman of Citizens For Quality Schools, I would like to ask residents of the community to continue their unwavering support for the Colfax School District. Two years ago, we as a community stepped forward and voted to physically update schools and fix the existing roof leaks and the removal of asbestos. This bond project is on time and within budget and the finished projects to date are significant.

Every two years, we as a community vote for a levy to fill the gap that state funds do not cover. State funding has been erratic over the last three years. This began when the state put a cap on our levy amount at $1.50 per thousand of assessed value. This was a dramatic drop for our district from $3.03 of assessed value, but the state assured school districts state funding would make up the difference. After the first year, the state realized that this would not work and increased the levy cap to $2.50 per thousand of assessed value. This increase then allowed our levy to increase from $1.50 per thousand to $1.67. This increase by the state is their admission that they had not committed enough funds to local schools.

There are two additional challenges that arose from the state's plan. The first is that state funds come with strings attached that do not allow the district the flexibility to fund needed programs.

Secondly, the state requirement for districts to pay medical premiums to the state to cover part-time substitute teachers and all other staff that meet an average of 3.5 hours per school day through a school year, regardless if the part-time employee would like to take advantage of health insurance. In our community, with our limited number of substitutes, five substitute employees (bus drivers, aides, etc) to reach this hour level will cost the district an additional $50,000 paid to the state.

After discussing with the district leadership and staff we, as a committee, recommended to the school board levy amount of $1.97 per thousand of assessed value. This amount is significantly less than the cap that the state has set. In addition, it is well under $1 less than the previous amount of $3.03 per thousand of assessed value.

This brings the total taxation by the school district for the new bond passed two years ago, plus the amount recommended for this year's levy to $4.60 per thousand of assessed value. We, as a committee, look forward to discussion with the community over the next few months.

Thank you again for your consistent support of the children in our community.

-Weston Claassen,

Chairman, Citizens for Quality Schools

Bridging the gap

I am writing in support of the upcoming Colfax School District enrichment levy.

Our children deserve a school experience that helps them meet the demands of today and tomorrow. An experience that allows for all students to be prepared to either further their education at college, a trade school or as career-ready citizens. Our community has spoken loud and clear, through previous measures, that it wants the best schools that we can justifiably afford that will sustain our students’ educational needs. Voting in support of this upcoming levy keeps that expectation alive.

The state of Washington is only required to supply school districts with state funding for basic education. Unfortunately, this funding provided by the state does not fully cover the actual costs to operate, staff and maintain a school district, so enrichment levies bridge the gap in funding. Enrichment levies also allow a school district to provide things like enriched curriculum (music, drama, athletics, elective courses, technology, clubs), retain support staff and supplement services that the state only partially funds.

What does all of this mean for us financially? An additional $0.30 per $1,000 of assessed value will ensure our school district is adequately funded and emerges from the final two phases of construction in as great of fiscal shape as when the construction started. Our current Colfax School District tax rate is $4.30 per $1,000 of assessed value. This tax rate of $4.30 per thousand is the sum of two separate costs; a $1.67 levy and a $2.63 bond. A vote in support of the proposed two-year enrichment levy would increase the levy amount from $1.67 to $1.97 per thousand and adjust the overall tax rate $0.30 per thousand from $4.30 to $4.60 per $1,000 of assessed value.

There is a tremendous amount of pride in the Colfax community and there has always been overwhelming support for our schools and students. The awards, ratings and statewide recognition for the school district reflect such. I encourage every Colfax registered voter to vote yes for the continued success of our school district. Thank you.

-Aaron Lawhead,

Colfax

 

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