EP&O school levy on ballot Feb. 19

Doesn’t the state provide enough money for basic education?
State and federal funds provide only a portion of most school districts’ operating budgets in this state. Levy funds make up the difference between what the state provides and what the community expects in education.

Federal Way has long received fewer state dollars for salary allocations than most other districts in the state. While the district recently won a lawsuit against the state, funding from any action the legislature takes in response to the lawsuit will probably not reach the district for several years.

Why are voters asked to approve replacement levies?
By law, Educational Program and Operations levies can be approved for a maximum of four years. Similar to a magazine subscription, the levy expires after the allotted number of years. School districts must go back to their voters and ask for a continuation, or renewal of levy dollar support. That’s why the district uses the term “replacement” levy.

If property values increase, will the school district get more money?
Once approved, the total levy amounts can’t be increased. School districts ask for a set dollar amount in a levy proposal, unlike other taxing agencies that ask for a rate. Even though voters don’t authorize a tax rate for schools, districts do provide an estimated tax rate so that our voters can, in turn, estimate their share of the cost of the levy.

How can we be sure what the levy will cost?
Although voters don’t authorize a tax rate for schools districts, voters want to know how much a levy will cost them personally. That’s why the district provides an estimated tax rate.

The district continues to commit to keeping its tax rate promises. The combined school tax rate (upcoming EP&O levy + existing bonds + the existing technology levy) will NOT exceed an average of $4.19 per thousand. The tax rate for the levy alone will be approximately $2.74 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation each year beginning in 2009 and continuing through 2012. The maximum levy amounts to be collected will be $36 million for 2009, $39 million for 2010, $42 million for 2011 and $45 million

What you should know about Federal Way Public Schools:
Federal Way Public Schools serve over 22,000 students. Nearly 50% of our students qualify for the free and reduced lunch program, and 10% speak a language other than English as their first language. Our students continue to excel academically. The district has been honored for closing the “Achievement Gap” by Standard and Poor’s and noted as one of Washington’s ten top-performing districts by the Washington School Research Center at Seattle Pacific University. Read more about this district of distinction.

The school district is a good steward of the public’s money

• The local school tax rate has declined from $5.26 in 1996 to $4.19 in 2007.
• We rank second (out of the state’s 30 districts serving over 10,000 students) in percentage of budget spent on teaching and teaching support.
• We have some of the lowest administrative costs of those same 30 districts.
• We rank first of all districts in King County in percentage of budget spent on teaching and teaching support, and second lowest in administrative costs.

Federal Way taxpayers pay less per student than most Western Washington taxpayers
At $1,435 per student, Federal Way Public Schools collects fewer EP&O levy dollars per student from local taxpayers than nearly all other districts in King County and around the Puget Sound area.

What about senior citizens with fixed incomes?
Senior citizens (61 and older) may be exempt from paying school levy taxes. For more information, call King County Tax Exemptions at 206-296-3920 or visit the assessor’s web page at http://www.metrokc.gov.