A former candidate for the Coupeville School Board is challenging the language for a school levy ballot measure in an upcoming special election.

In response, Coupeville Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood said the school district does not object to a change since the concern only involves one word in the ballot title for replacement levies that will appear on the Feb. 10 ballot.

On Dec. 10, Coupeville resident David Mahaffy filed a “petition to appeal a ballot title” against the Island County prosecuting attorney in Island County Superior Court. Under state law, any person dissatisfied with the ballot title may appeal to the prosecutor’s office, which is ultimately responsible for ballot language.

Such petitions are rare. Mahaffy said in an interview that a county clerk’s office employee said they had never seen one before.

Ballot titles are usually a couple of sentences that appear on ballots to briefly explain measures.

The ballot title in question states: “The Board of Directors of Coupeville School District No. 204 adopted Resolution No. 25-13, concerning a replacement levy for educational funding. This proposition would fund necessary educational programs and operations that are not funded by the State and authorize the District to levy the following excess taxes, replacing an expiring levy, upon all taxable property within the District.”

Mahaffy objected to the word “necessary,” which he argued is not impartial and creates prejudice.

“Calling it ‘necessary’ seemed more like an opinion or an assertion,” he said. “That’s why we are voting on it. To decide whether it is necessary.”

Leatherwood explained that the replacement levies will provide funding to continue the current level of service for students in the district. School districts in the state “rely on the local, voter-approved levies to bridge the gap between what the state funds and the actual cost of serving students,” she wrote in an email. Such levies must be renewed by voters every four years if they decide to continue the financial support.

Proposition 1, the Educational Programs & Operations levy, supports day-to-day operations and programs in the schools, including classroom staff to keep class sizes low; such programs as advanced classes for highly capable students; language services; social-emotional supports, athletics clubs, and extracurriculars; career and technical education and hands-on learning opportunities; and music and performing arts classes, according to Leatherwood.

Proposition 2, the Capital Technology levy, continues funding for secure facilities and modern learning opportunities, such as devices, software, surveillance cameras and building entry access systems, Leatherwood explained in an email.

Leatherwood wrote that the ballot titles for the levies was prepared by legal counsel with language similar to titles used for the district’s 2022 levy measures. As required by law, the titles were approved by the county prosecutor’s office.

“While the District and the Board of Directors do believe the programs supported by levy funding are necessary to meet the learning needs of every student we serve,” she wrote, “we understand that the ballot title appeal is only about one specific wording issue. Because the appeal is limited to this single point, the District does not object to this wording change.”

Mahaffy unsuccessfully ran for a school board position in 2019. He explained that he decided to run after the state Supreme Court ruled in the McCleary case that the state failed to comply with its duty to fully fund schools, which led to an increase in spending at schools. He felt the level of spending was unsustainable.

Mahaffy said he found out about the ballot language after volunteering earlier this year to help with the opposition statement that will appear in the voters’ pamphlet. He learned from a newsletter that the county was looking for volunteers to write a statement. He noted that the space for “con statements” are sometimes blank in the voters pamphlet, which he believes is not good for the democratic process.

As a result, he volunteered to be on the committee to write the statement, but it turns out he is the entire committee. In order to write the statement, he asked to see the ballot title, which he felt had prejudicial language.

Leatherwood said the district’s attention remains on ensuring that the community has clear, accurate information about the replacement levies and the programs they support. Everyone is invited, she wrote, to an informational presentation on the levies at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at the Middle School Performing Arts Center.