Tri-City area school districts are looking for a lot of love from their communities this Valentine’s Day and voters should oblige.
Ballots for school levy and bond measures have gone out this week, and if you haven’t received yours it should be in your mailbox soon. They must be returned by Tuesday, Feb. 14.
For Kennewick and Finley school districts, this year’s requests are more critical than ever after both suffered a double-levy failure last year.
If these levies fail yet again, the damage to school programs will be horrendous.
And yes — we know it is frustrating that schools continually must ask local voters to backfill what the state does not provide.
School funding is supposed to be the paramount duty of the state, but despite litigation the state still does not provide enough to cover all the needs — especially when it comes to special education, transportation costs and extracurricular programs like art, music, drama, sports and other clubs. Local money also covers security officers who are especially needed.
It isn’t right and it isn’t fair.
But it’s reality.
And that is why school officials turn to their local citizens to help them provide the best possible programs for their students.
After Kennewick voters denied two levy renewal requests last year, the district managed to get through this school year by letting positions go unfilled and by using its reserves and state COVID relief money.
Kennewick School Superintendent Traci Pierce told the Herald editorial board that if the school district had not had those COVID funds, the cuts would have been deeper and more noticeable.
But COVID funds were never meant to be part of the ongoing operating budget. That money was meant to be an infusion to help offset the extra costs associated with pandemic — like paying for extra nurses.
This time around, KSD would levy $71.55 million in local collection over three years, starting in 2024. Because of the double levy failure no taxes will be collected this year.
In 2024, Kennewick would collect $1.73 per $1,000 of assessed property value totaling $23 million. In 2025, the tax rate would go down to $1.68 per $1,000 and in 2026 the rate would again decrease — going down to $1.63 per $1,000.
Finley, like Kennewick, won’t be collecting taxes this year because its levy request was twice denied last spring.
The Finley School District is asking for a two-year measure that will cover $2.9 million in funding for athletics, technology, maintenance and operations, staffing and student support. Kiona-Benton City School District also is asking for a two-year replacement levy.
Fortunately, voters in Pasco and Richland school districts approved their maintenance and operation levy requests last year.
However, both districts are in dire need of a third high school.
Chiawana High School in Pasco is the largest in the state, with 3,150 students. That’s 33% more kids than what the school was originally designed for.
Pasco High School is the Tri-Cities second largest school and it, too, cannot accommodate all its students. Portable buildings are being used at both high school campuses at the moment, but they are a stop-gap measure.
Richland also needs another high school, but it is going about it in a unique way. The district is asking voters to approve a $23 million capital improvement levy which would begin the building design and pre-work, as well as improve security throughout the district.
If this request is approved, then the district would go back to voters later to ask for construction money.
Details of all the levy and bond requests can be found on the school district websites and in the Voters’ Pamphlet.
We encourage anyone with questions or concerns to contact the school districts directly.
Good schools are vital to a community. They give kids an education and keep them engaged. They also attract new businesses to our area.
So be sweet to our schools this Valentine’s Day and mark “yes” on your ballot.
