You’re Invited

Skamania School invites you to a Replacement Levy Information Session

Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
Skamania School Cafeteria
122 Butler Loop Road Skamania, WA 98648
Questions? Contact Superintendent Milt Dennison at 509-427-8239 or mdennison@skamania.k12.wa.us

Replacement Levy February 14, 2023

What is an Educational Programs & Operations Levy?

An educational programs and operations levy, also called an EP&O levy or an enrichment levy, is a funding measure that helps bridge the gap between education funding provided from the state and federal government and what it actually costs to run a school district. Skamania School District is running a three-year replacement EP&O levy to be considered by voters in the February 14, 2023, special election. This is not a new tax but is simply the continuation of an existing tax at a lower rate that must be renewed every few years. The proposed levy for 2024-2026 will fund programs in our school that are underfunded by state and federal dollars.

Year (Jan-Dec)Amount CollectedRate per $1,000 of assessed value
2024$250,000$1.16
2025$265,000$1.15
2026$280,000$1.15
$795,000 total

Why does Skamania School need levy funds every year?

While state and federal funds provide a large portion of the funding for school districts each year, this funding does not cover all of the expenses required to operate a school district. Local levies are necessary to make up ongoing gaps in financial support so that districts like Skamania can continue to provide a quality, safe and rewarding educational experience for all students in the district. In Skamania, we rely heavily on local levy funds, which provide approximately 14% of the district’s total operating budget.

The proposed new tax rate will be essentially the same as the expiring levy’s tax rate, which in 2023 is $1.15 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The estimated new rates per $1,000 of assessed property value are expected to be $1.16 in 2024, and $1.15 in 2025 and 2026, which continues to be significantly less than other districts in our area.

The district is requesting authorization to collect a total of approximately $250,000 in 2024, $265,000 in 2025, and $280,000 in 2026 through the EP&O levy, or $795,000 total across the three years. The annual increases are projected to account for inflation and increasing staff costs.

Please vote by February 14, 2023!

Ballots will be mailed to local residents beginning January 28th and must be dropped into an official ballot box by 8 pm on February 14th, or must be postmarked on or before the 14th. Low-income senior citizens and disabled adults may qualify for tax exemptions. Please call the Skamania County Assessor’s Office at 509-427-3720 for further information.

For more information

Contact the superintendent’s office at mdennison@skamania.k12.wa.us or 509-427-8239

What will the levy continue to fund?

Programs supported by levy dollars include, but are not limited to:

  • Teacher and support staff salaries to maintain unique, low student-to-teacher ratio (Teaching)
  • School counseling services (Teaching)
  • Music and P.E. classes (Teaching)
  • Training for teachers & staff (Teaching)
  • Transportation (Support)
  • Building maintenance and operations (Administrative)
  • Administrative support (Administrative)
  • Transportation
  • Building maintenance and operations
  • Administrative support

Breakdown of Levy Dollars by Category

Levy funding makes up 14% of Skamania’s total operating budget. Teaching: 56%, Transportation, Building Maintenance, and Administrative Support: 44%