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From the Tacoma Public Schools Newsroom:
Teachers, buses and sports cut if April 25 levy fails
By: Community Relations | Source: Tacoma Public Schools
The district’s Replacement Educational Programs and Operations (REP&O) levy on the April 25 ballot will provide about $280 million for district programs and operations over four years. The levy provides about 22 percent of the district budget, and makes up the difference between state funding and the actual costs of current programs. Many state-mandated programs are not fully funded by the state.
Budget update: Even if voters approve the REP&O levy on the April 25 ballot, the school district will still face a shortfall of $5 – 6 million for the 2006-07 school year due to a decline in student enrollment, board and district goals, staffing and under-funded or unfunded state and federal mandates. If the levy fails a second time, the district will need to cut a total of nearly $43 million to balance the 2006-07 budget (which it is required to do by law).
If approved by voters, the levy maintains the current levy amount, and there will be no tax increase. The tax rate actually decreases, and continues to decrease if property values rise.
The REP&O levy funds learning. The bond measures fund building, and, by law, cannot be used to fund the daily operations of schools. For example, 80% of students currently riding the bus, would not have transportation.
The levy pays for everything that is not state or federally funded or only partially funded by these governments. If the levy fails again, the programs and services below will be reduced or eliminated.
- Classroom teachers and substitutes
- Administrators, office professionals, and technical support at non-school sites
- Administrative support at schools (e.g., administrative assistants, assistant principals)
- Counselors and nurses
- Office professional and para-professional support
- Teacher specialists (e.g., librarians, P.E., music)
- Class offerings (e.g., music, art, foreign language, advanced placement)
- Specialty programs (e.g., Bryant Montessori, School of the Arts, Oakland Alternative, Hilltop Artists in Residence)
- Sports and extracurricular activities
- Facility use (e.g., swimming pools, community fields)
- Highly Capable program (e.g., Jaws, Advanced Placement, Sail)
- Transportation (e.g., after-school activity buses, students within 1-mile radius of school)
- Help for struggling students (e.g., Werlin, tutoring)
- English language learners program
- Special Education program
- Professional development
- Development, purchase, and implementation of new curriculum
- Employee contracts (e.g., professional responsibility stipend, medical and benefit contributions, optional days)
- Extra pay stipends (e.g., advisors, department chairs)
- Hourly funds (e.g., crossing guards, noon-hour supervisors) * Contracts with other agencies and consultants (e.g., Tacoma Urban League, Centro Latino, Boys & Girls Club)
- Maintenance and custodial service
- Security services
- Community outreach (e.g., family involvement, parent training)
- Classroom instructional supplies, textbooks, computers, and software technology equipment
- Technology support services
A district can only place a levy on the ballot twice within the same year. In this state, if the levy fails twice, the amount collected locally goes back to zero.
Some seniors (age 61 and older) may be exempt from levy taxes. For information or to request an application, call the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s Customer Service Hotline at 253.798.6111.
Posted By: James
tacoma | | Mar 20, 2006
