• BREAKING: Calling it “restoring local levy flexibility for school districts and funding” The Washington Education Association has its lobbyist pushing to remove the Levy Lid (the 1.50 per thousand limitation on local levies). The Bill was just Introduced the 23rd of January as SB5313.




  • Record November election turnout will have effect on Local Bond Issues campaigns. Passage based on two criteria:

  1. In a school Bond;60% of the voters must vote yes
  2. In addition voter turnout(both Yes and No votes) must be 40% of the last General Election to “validate” the election.

Here is a table for the upcoming election:

Registered Voted in 40% for 60% for
School District Voters November Validation = Passage(min)
Ferndale SD 21736 16173 6469 3882
Nooksack SD 6300 4631 1852 1111

Both Nooksack (29.7 Million bond…click here for info) andFerndale School Districts (112 Million bond… click here for more info) have scheduled special bond elections on Feb 12th

 

The Information given by the school district and “Vote Yes” Committees for the School Districts is based on current law.  Many Democrats and Others in the State Legislature want to remove the lid of  $1.50 per thousand for local levies agreed to in last years legislative resolution of the McCleary Decision. Thus the presumption of some of the district figures concerning bond and levy rates may need to be changed to reflect a much higher tax rate in the future.

Here’s some new information:

Informed voters should understand that the local districts did not have this new information when they proposed their Bonds and that local districts work hard to get the best education for their children… But informed voters should be aware of what is happening at the state level that will effect their taxes.