Voters give school districts Valentine approval

Voters handed Whitman County schools and the town of Rosalia a nice little Valentine Tuesday night, easily approving all 11 funding requests in election night returns.

“It’s a perfect Valentine’s gift,” said Supt. Michael Morgan, of the Colfax School District.

Colfax, along with Colton, Endicott, Oakesdale and St. John asked voters for increased maintenance and operations levies for upcoming school years, hoping local funding would stave off cuts expected to come from state funding.

“I think people know how important our levies are, and that they are becoming even more so as the state puts more of the funding responsibility on local schools,” said Gary Wargo, who serves as superintendent of Endicott, LaCrosse and St. John school districts.

Cuts in state funding impacted many area schools this year. Transportation funding was cut, and the amount of levy equalization dollars distributed to Whitman County districts fell as property values in some previously more valuable school districts across the state dropped.

Levy equalization apportions from the state are intended to equalize funding between districts with high-valued property assessments and those with low valuations which produce less revenue.

Whitman County schools typically rate as low value districts, because farmland valuations are low compared to valuations of developed areas.

St. John and Endicott districts got $50,000 gains over their current levies from voters in each district, with St. John voting 78 percent yes and Endicott 66 percent.

Oakesdale’s voters raised their district’s levy almost $80,000 from its current level.

“It’s a relief,” Oakesdale Supt. Jake Dingman said Tuesday night. “We were nervous coming off the bond failure that the support might have dropped a bit.”

Last year, voters rejected a bond proposal to modernize and rebuild portions of the school building. Tuesday’s increase in the maintenance and operations levy received more than 60 percent approval.

The two-year Colfax proposal garners 62 percent approval. The district’s current $950,000 levy will be increased to $1.2 million in 2013 and $1.25 million in 2014.

Rates for the new levies are still just a tick above the 20-year average rate. In 2013, the rate is expected to be $3.68 per $1,000, and it will be $3.84 in 2014. Current Colfax rate of $2.915 is the lowest its been in the past two decades.

Colton got 73 percent approval for its $483,895 levy for next year, which was $20,000 higher than the year before.

Pullman got voter approval for its two funding requests; a levy of $4.9 million in 2013 and $5.3 million in 2014, and a six-year $200,000 proposition to upgrade new technology and equipment, including classroom computers.

Tiny Steptoe School District received the highest percentage support from voters, garnering 84 percent approval for its two-year $220,000 levy.

Tuesday night’s count included 7,135 of the 17,001 ballots mailed out to voters for a 47 percent turnout rate. Elections Supervisor Debbie Hooper said the count included ballots received in the mail through Tuesday and ballots dropped at the Colfax and Pullman drop boxes through Monday night.

Next count is scheduled for today, Thursday, and will include ballots received with postmarks bearing the election day date or earlier.

SCHOOL

DISTRICTS

Colfax: M & O levy for $1.2 million in 2013 tax year and $1.25 million for 2014 tax year at levy rates estimated at $3.68 and $3.84 per $1,000 of assessed value: Yes 750, No 458 for 62 percent approval.

Colton: M & O levy for $483,895 for 2013 tax year at an estimated levy of $4.33 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. Yes 295, No 111 for 73 percent approval.

Endicott: M & O levy of $280,000 for 2013 tax year and again for 2014 tax year at estimated rate of $3.29 per $1,000 assessed value each year. Yes 117, No 59 for 66 percent approval.

Oakesdale: M & O levy of $425,000 for 2013 tax year and $434,500 for 2014 tax year at estimated levy rates of $4.66 and $4.67 respectively per $1,000 or assessed valuation. Yes 212, No 140 for 60 percent approval.

Pullman: M & O levy for 4.9 million in 2013 tax year and $5.3 million on 2014 tax year at levy rates estimated at $3.05 and $3.23 per $1,000 of assessed value. Yes 3,047, No 789 for 79 percent approval.

Technology replacement levy at $200,000 per year, 2013 through 2018. Yes 3,106, No 729 for 81 percent approval.

Rosalia: M & O levy for $520,000 for 2013 tax year and again for 2014 tax year at an estimated levy rate of $4.98 each year. Yes 250, No 116 for 68 percent approval.

St. John: M & O levy for $380,000 for 2013 tax year and again for 2014 tax year at an estimated rate of $2.32 per $1,000 assessed valuation each year. Yes 298, No 84 for 78 percent approval.

Steptoe: M & O levy at $110,000 for 2013 and again for 2014 at estimated levy rate of $3.17 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for each year. Yes 94, No 18 for 84 percent approval.

Tekoa: M & O levy at $290,000 for 2013 and again for 2014 at levy rate estimated at $5.16 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for each year. Yes 208, No 65 for 76 percent approval.

TOWN OF

ROSALIA

Special levy of $50,000 at $2.59 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for street fund in 2013 tax year to pay costs of lights, shoulder work, improvements and equipment costs. Yes 118, No 64 for 65 percent approval.