Levy Facts
Thank you voters! As of Feb. 22, 2024 the EP%O levy is passing with 55.36% and the tech levy is passing with 56.25%. Both of these levies are integral to the operations of our school district. These levies pay for teachers, staff, programs and services that contribute to a well-rounded and quality education for the children of our community. We are dedicated to honoring your investment and being good stewards of public funds, your support is greatly appreciated and not taken for granted.
The current voter-approved levies end in 2024. The proposed Feb. 13, 2024 replacement levies extend them through 2028. These are not a new tax but replace the current levies.
The levies help pay for things the state does not fund or underfunds such as:
Financial Impact
The replacement EP&O and technology capital levies total between $7.1 and $8.2 million per year for each of the four years. A property owner in our district would pay an estimated total combined tax rate of $3.00 per $1,000 of assessed value beginning in 2025. Below is the estimated total school district combined bond and levy rate per $1,000 assessed value. The rates are estimates based upon data from the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office.
| Year | EP&O Levy | Tech Levy | Existing Bond | Total Tax Rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2.10 | $0.38 | $0.52 | $3.00 |
| 2026 | $2.10 | $0.38 | $0.52 | $3.00 |
| 2027 | $2.10 | $0.38 | $0.52 | $3.00 |
| 2028 | $2.10 | $0.38 | $0.52 | $3.00 |
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Amount Collected per Levy
| Year | EP&O Levy Amount | Tech Levy Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6 million | $1.07 million |
| 2026 | $6.3 million | $1.135 million |
| 2027 | $6.6 million | $1.2 million |
| 2028 | $6.9 million | $1.265 million |
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Funding the Gap
The EP&O levy and technology capital levy make up about 18% of Meridian School District’s budget. The district receives about 82% of its budget from state and federal funding.
Federal Funds
The federal government provides financial support for high-poverty schools and students who require additional resources in order to obtain a fair, equitable, high-quality education. Federal dollars pay for a percentage of programs including Vocational Education, Special Education, Native American Education, English Language Acquisition, Disability and Nutrition as well as special grants.
State Funds
The Basic Education Act of 1997 set a formula for giving each of the state’s school districts a certain dollar amount for every Full Time Equivalent (FTE) student (or, each student attending school all day). For students who need extra services, such as Special Education programs, Gifted Education, or Bilingual Education, there are state and federal formulas for additional dollars.
Local Funds
Local funding is generated through levies and bonds approved by the voters. Both are based upon local property valuations—property owners pay a set amount for each $1,000 of property value. Once approved, bond and levy amounts cannot increase with property values. When property values increase in a community, the amount paid per $1,000 decreases. Senior citizens and low income property owners may apply for an exemption from bond and levy taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
A school levy is a local tax that helps pay for things that the state and federal budgets don’t cover. This can include extracurricular activities, sports, and even some teacher salaries.
No, Washington is only legally required to fully fund what they define to be “basic education” based on a funding distribution formula referred to as the “prototypical model.” This model represents the Legislature’s assumptions about the costs associated with providing a “basic education” to students. Because the funding comes by way of a formula, it often supports only part of the staffing or other services required in a school.
For example, in a local school district with 10,000 students, the state formula only provides funding for 1.5 school nurses. The district may actually need 4 nurses, which would have to be paid for out of local levy funds and not state funds.
While levies do require a portion of taxes in Meridian School District, they are the replacement of a existing levies to invest in the education of the students in our community.
No, they are different. We often use the phrase levies are for learning and bonds are for building. Levies are for everyday expenses like school supplies and teacher salaries. Bonds are for big projects like building a new school.
Learn more about the difference by watching this video “Growing Education: What’s the Difference Between a Levy and a Bond?”
Most levies are for a set number of years. Voters have to approve it again to keep them going. In Meridian School District, we typically run a replacement levy every four years. The current levy runs through December 2024.
School budgets are carefully managed and audited. Levies are needed for essential items and programs that don’t get enough funding from other sources.
While grants are helpful, they can’t cover everything. They’re often for specific projects and can’t be relied upon for ongoing needs.
In Washington, school districts cannot ask the community for more than $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed value for Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O levies). Meridian School District, after careful financial planning, is asking our community to consider a levy rate of $2.10 per $1,000 in order to maintain our current programming for students.
At the time of the vote, the taxes are set community-wide. The amount each taxpayer will pay is based on their home’s assessed value. If your home’s value increases or decreases, the levy amount could change for you, but the levied amount for the community as a whole remains fixed.
Here is a visual representation provided D.A. Davidson & Co.
If your home is valued at $600,000 and you want to calculate how much you’d pay in taxes related to these two replacement levies in 2025. The estimated tax rate for our school levies and bonds in 2025 is $3.00.
$600,000 / $1,000 = 600
600 * 3.00 = $1,800
In this example, you would pay about $1,800 annually for school district taxes or $150 per month.
It’s important to keep in mind that the district collects a set amount of money from our community each year. This means you would not pay more if the value of your home goes up.
For example, in 2025, we would collect $7.1 million for the operations and tech levies. We would not get more than $7.1 million even if all the homes in our community were valued more than they are today.
No, there is no bond on the Special Election ballot for Feb. 13, 2024. There are only these two replacement levies.
However, a Facilities Task Force has been meeting and you can learn more about their work on the task force webpage.
All school districts in Whatcom County have levies on the ballot for the special election Feb. 13, 2024. Many districts, including ours, typically run measures in February because it coincides with our school year budget cycle. If the levies are approved, we get funding in 2025 to help us plan for the 2025-26 school year. Our most recent levies were approved in 2020, but the levy collection occurs 2021 through 2024.
More Information:
Levy Fact Sheet (English)
Levy Fact Sheet (Spanish)
Contact:
District Office
360-398-7111
Daniel Yorton
Director of Business and Finance
Property Tax Exemption for
Senior Citizens and People with Disabilities
If you are a senior citizen or a person with disabilities with your residence in Washington State you may qualify for a property tax reduction under the property tax exemption for senior citizens and people with disabilities program. Learn more on the Whatcom County Auditor’s Website.