School board to talk future levies

The Coupeville School Board will consider placing up to two levy proposals on the ballot in early 2014.

The Coupeville School Board will consider placing up to two levy proposals on the ballot in early 2014.

The Central Whidbey based school district has two levies that are expiring at the end of 2014 — an operations levy and a technology levy.

“We will be asking a renewal for both of these levies in February,” school board member Kathleen Anderson said during Tuesday’s voter forum at the Coupeville Recreation Hall.

The operations levy brings in an estimated $2.4 million a year, which accounts for nearly a quarter of the school district’s $10 million budget.

The technology levy provided the school district with $300,000 a year for four years to pay for computer upgrades and training.

School officials have said the state’s Basic Education Allocation, which is based on student enrollment, doesn’t provide dollars for technology purchases.

Both levies were approved by voters in 2010. Back then, 60.3 percent of the voters approved the operations levy and 57.7 percent of the voters approved the technology levy.

Due to recent state legislation, school levies have to pass by a 50 percent simple majority.

Superintendent Jim Shank said its up to the Coupeville School Board to decide what levy proposals to send to voters.

Such an election could take place in February 2014.

The school board is scheduled to talk about levies during the next meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 14 in the Coupeville Elementary School Library.

 

 

 

 

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