North Mason levy on ballot

North Mason School District Superintendent Dana Rosenbach spoke to community members about the education programs and operations replacement levy on the Feb. 11 ballot at an information meeting at Hawkins Middle School on Jan. 14.

Rosenbach began by talking about the McCleary decision, a ruling by the state Supreme Court ordering the state to fully fund K-12 public education.

"Didn't the McCleary decision mean the state would fully fund basic education? The short answer is no," she said.

Washington has a limited definition of "basic education," Rosenbach said.

"The definition does not cover what we need to do every day," she said.

Classes covered in the basic funding are defined as only the classes needed for students to graduate, she said.

Some of the things in NMSD not covered are extra-curricular activities; staffing costs that go beyond the basic funding model, including: elementary specialists in music, physical education, art and science, secondary band and choir, school nurses, library techs, custodians, counselors and substitutes; administrative costs not covered under current funding, technology, maintenance, curriculum, elective and advanced placement classes, special education, security, communications, school safety and unfunded transportation, according to the presentation.

"What this levy is for is to support the programs and staff," Rosenbach said.

Transportation to and from school is covered under basic funding, but not transportation for a science class to go on a field trip during the day, according to Rosenbach.

The four-year replacement levy will be a renewal of the levy approved by voters in 2022 that is set to expire at the end of 2025, not a new tax, according to the presentation.

If the renewal passes, it "would allow the levy of property taxes within North Mason School District in the amount of $5,577,446 per year, for collection in 2026 through 2029," according to the proposition statement.

The estimated tax rate for NMSD would be $1.32 per $1,000 of assessed property value, according to the district's website.

Rosenbach said the district does not want to ask for "too much."

She said NMSD is asking for $2 million less per year than the maximum amount in a levy.

Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations Dan King told attendees the levy money "fills the gap" between actual needs and what is funded by the state.

He said levy money is spent for different things in different years.

The top levy expenditure for fiscal year 2021–2022 through fiscal year 2023– 2024 was teaching for music, PE, science, and art specialists and paraprofessionals at $4,118,488, according to a document provided at the meeting.

The second largest expenditure was operation of buildings, including custodial staff and supplies, at $1,134,618, according to the document.

The total amount of levy money spent during that time was $9,775,330, the document states.

"Our priority is teaching," King said.

One community member asked about the increase in insurance for NMSD, wondering if it was because the district had been sued causing rates to go up.

"It has nothing to do with that," Rosenbach responded.

She explained that there are only two insurance provider options for the district.

"We have gone back and forth between the two to get the best deal," Rosenbach said.

She said insurance rates recently increased 38%.

"They can raise rates more than what the district budgeted for. They get to call the shots as far as what our costs are," she said.

King said all of the state school districts are experiencing rising insurance rates.

"We all belong to one of two pools," he said.

"It affects every district," according to King. "It's not just North Mason," he said.