School levies on Feb. 14

Valentine's Day is the deadline to cast ballots for replacement levies in the Shelton and Pioneer school districts.

Both would replace existing levies that expire at the end of 2023 and both need a simple majority to pass. Ballots were mailed last week.

The Shelton School District's three-year levy would be $2.09 per $1,000 of assessed property value. If passed, the levy will collect $7.1 million in 2024, $7.6 million in 2025 and $8.2 million in 2026. The levy money provides about 11% of the district's budget. If the levy passes, the district will receive $3 million in additional money from the state in "levy equalization" funds.

Wyeth Jessee, superintendent of Shelton School District, talked about the levy and the district at the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce's "Education in Mason County" forum Jan. 19 at Mason County Public Works.

"If there is one of the key things you can hear from me, this is a replacement levy," Jessee said. "It is not a new levy, this is not a new tax on your property. If we don't pass it, we'll miss out on three million dollars from the state." He added, "Matching funds do matter."

Jessee said that the current levy was passed at $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed value, larger than the $2.09 being requested.

The district has 4,237 students in three elementary schools, a middle school, a junior high and three high schools. This year's budget is $72 million.

The replacement levy pays for basic education services and operating expenses not fully paid by the state, including regular classroom and special education teachers, instructional technology, library services, swimming pool and auditorium operation and maintenance, classroom furniture and materials, support for students at risk, facilities repair and maintenance, campus security and school resource officers, and athletics and activities.

State funding does not pay for counselors or nurses, Jessee said.

"We (added) a nurse this year," he said. "We have so many students with acute health needs, we have to have four nurses in the district, and I'd love to have five across the district."