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Several Mid-Columbia school districts are planning to run replacement levies in February to help pay daily operating costs that aren't fully covered by state money.
Officials said deciding how much to ask for has been a challenge because of the slumping economy and sweeping cuts to public education statewide.
"This has been the most difficult levy decision we've made in over a decade," said Pasco Superintendent Saundra Hill. "The challenge is struggling with the increasing costs (of running the district) ... and balancing that with the tough economy and the way people are being hit."
School districts rely on maintenance and operations levies to help keep the doors open and programs running. The property tax revenue that levies generate pays for everything from electricity to sports to music instruction.
Levies typically make up about 20 percent of a district's annual budget.
Lately, there has been less state money to go around. In the last session, the Legislature slashed funding for K-12 education and other programs to help balance a $9 billion deficit forecast for 2009-11.
Tri-City area school districts lost millions of dollars, which meant they had to trim expenses and -- in several cases -- cut positions through retirements and attrition. Educators are bracing for more cuts in the coming legislative session.
"Every other agency in the state is just as concerned. We're all in the same boat. Everyone is wondering how the state is going to problem solve this," said Superintendent Gregg Taylor of the North Franklin School District in Connell.
School leaders in the Mid-Columbia especially are concerned about the possibility of losing levy equalization, the money given to districts with low property valuations to help level the playing field.
Districts that are considered "property poor" -- like many in the Mid-Columbia -- have to tax their residents more than affluent districts to pay the bills.
Cutting levy equalization would "hit the poor districts very hard and (wouldn't) impact the rich districts at all, so the gap widens," Hill said.
Area school officials said residents should contact their legislators and ask them to preserve levy equalization.
The Pasco, Kennewick, Richland, Finley, Kiona-Benton City and North Franklin school districts are among those planning to put two-year levies on the February ballot. The districts are at different points in the process of formalizing plans -- some already have settled on levy amounts and others still are discussing numbers.
Officials from the districts said the challenge has been to find a balance between asking for enough money to maintain programs and operations amid the state cuts while keeping in mind that taxpayers are hurting because of the economy.
"We're doing our best to ask just for what we need and no more, knowing the future is a little (uncertain)," said Richland Superintendent Jean Lane.
Districts will have their plans completed by the end of December. Election day is Feb. 9.
