Your school levy ballot is due by Tuesday. Here’s what’s on it

School districts across the Mid-Columbia have funding measures up for a vote this week.

It’s not too late to make your voice heard.

Ballots are due by Tuesday. They must postmarked, returned to the county auditor or left in an official drop box by that day.

Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, Prosser, Grandview and Columbia-Burbank school districts have proposed four-year property tax levies.

Kiona-Benton City, Finley, Kahlotus, North Franklin and Washtucna school districts have put forward two-year levies.

The levies aren’t new taxes.

They will replace existing measures that expire this year.

Levies bridge the gap between government money for education and what it actually costs school districts to operate.

Because of a major state education funding change, Tri-Citians will pay far less through their local levies starting next year.

The state has capped local school levy rates at $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

In Kennewick, for example, the current levy rate is $3.37 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Richland’s current levy rate is $3.44 per $1,000 and Pasco’s is $3.95 per $1,000.

The overhaul is in response to the state Supreme Court’s 2012 McCleary decision, which said the state was failing in its duty to fully fund basic education and was relying too much on local levies.

To remedy that, legislators created a plan to invest about $7 billion in public education over four years, including through a state property tax increase that kicks in this year. They also instituted the levy cap.

Most Mid-Columbia school districts are running their proposed levies at the capped rate.

However, Kahlotus and Columbia-Burbank are taking different tracks.

Kahlotus is asking for a little bit less — $1.07 per $1,000 the first year and $1.14 per $1,000 the second year.

Columbia-Burbank is asking for more — $3.30 per $1,000 each year for four years — in case the state rolls back or delays the cap. But unless that happens, the district only will be able to collect $1.50 per $1,000.

The Kennewick, Richland and Columbia-Burbank school districts also are proposing technology levies, at a rate of about 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

Those levies will help with technology needs.

This story was originally published February 10, 2018 at 2:01 PM with the headline "Your school levy ballot is due by Tuesday. Here’s what’s on it."