Longview School District to propose two levies

Tuesday, November 25, 2008 6:06 PM PST

The Longview School Board tentatively decided Monday to ask voters next year to renew a levy to fund day-to-day operations and also approve a separate funding measure to pay for building repairs and technology updates.

The board is expected to give final approval to the twin-levy election in December. The levies would appear separately on the March 10 ballot.

Board members said they want to keep the combined cost to taxpayers of the two levies to $3.30 per $1,000 assessed valuation, which was the levy limit voters OK’d for the district’s current levy, which will expire next year.

The new maintenance and operations levy proposed by school officials would generate an estimated $13.5 million in 2010 and $14 million in 2011. It would cost taxpayers an estimated $3.01 per $1,000 assessed valuation. The district assumes property valuations will increase, so the levy would raise more money the second year.

Currently, property owners are paying $2.53 per $1,000 assessed valuation to support the district’s maintenance and operation levy.

School officials said the capital levy would raise at estimated $1.1 million. Some $600,000 would be spend on building projects, which the balance would pay for technology improvements. The levy would not fund artificial turf for Longview Memorial Stadium.