Eastmont School Board Approves Levy For Ballot In November

The Eastmont School District is placing a levy before voters in November. 

Get our free mobile app

The school board approved a plan Monday night that pays for items not covered by state funding, such as staff salaries and benefits, as well as extracurricular sports and activities.  

Eastmont School District Executive Director of Financial Services Caryn Metsker says the levy would provide essential funding for the district. 

“Without the funding, we won’t be able to support these programs and clubs for kids,” said Metsker. “And also, it helps keep our staffing levels where they’re at, and slowly reduce through attrition with retirements and what not over the years.” 

The levy would replace the current levy which expires at the end of next year and would be in place from 2026 through 2029. 

The school chose the middle of three options to place before voters Monday night. 

The new levy would be an increase from the current rate of $1.70 per $1000 of assessed value to $1.95 per $1000 of assessed value. It would require modest reductions to student programs but allow for most current programs to continue as currently offered.  

Metsker said property owners would not see an overall increase because taxpayers are currently paying $1.95 per $1000 of assessed value under the current levy along with a bond that'll expire in 2030. She said the new proposal is for a combined rate of $1.95 over the four years of the levy. 

The assessed valuation projection in the proposal is conservative, and taxpayers could see a smaller levy if new growth (homes, businesses) occurs.  

The proposal going to voters is known as an Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy. 

Metsker says it'll cover athletics, art, music and STEM as well as other extracurricular activities. It'll also cover salary and benefits for certificated and classified staff that are not covered by the state's proto-typical funding model. In addition, the levy would help with facility maintenance, school ground upkeep and other operational and capital expenses. Mesker said the district further intends to use a portion of the levy to support the district's new strategic plan. 

She says the levy is vitally needed to keep schools functioning at their current level.  

“If we did not pass this levy, it would be detrimental to our district,” Metsker said. “We’d have to cut a lot of programs and staff, and we wouldn’t be in a good spot.”  

The school board passed the new levy proposal ahead of a deadline next Tuesday to submit paperwork to the county auditor for the election.  

The levy will require a simple majority of 50% plus one vote to pass in November. 

The Eastmont School District budget for the upcoming 2024-2035 school year is $96.2 million. 

The levy will account for only about 14 percent of the budget. About 45 percent comes from the state while 15 percent comes from targeted state grants. About 25 percent of the budget is supported by additional state and federal grants. The remaining roughly one half of one percent of the budget comes from local nontax funding, such as donations, etc.