Most Pasco teachers didn’t vote on February levy. Now they’re rallying for it
If you see sign wavers on your commutes home from work this month, they’re likely members with the Pasco Association of Educators.
The teachers union will be out and around town in support of the April 28 school operations levy vote. They’re organizing five opportunities to rally over the next few weeks.
The $154 million renewal measure would secure funding for the next four years for athletics, music and the arts, teachers, school counselors, school resource officers, and other programs. Without it, Pasco School District would need to cut $50 million in annual funding to programs, which could impact as many as 500 jobs.
Teachers will be out waving signs at passing cars on the following days:
- Tuesday, April 14, at Court Street and 20th Avenue.
- Monday, April 20, at the PAE building along 20th Avenue.
- Tuesday, April 21, at Road 68 and Burden Boulevard.
- Monday, April 27, at the PAE building along 20th Avenue.
- Monday, April 27, at Broadmoor Boulevard and Sandifur Parkway.
Levy supporters are ramping up support this month after a measure in February fell 60 votes short of passing.
This is Pasco School District’s last opportunity to secure local funding before its current levy expires at the end of 2026. With a failure in their pocket — and stakes higher this month — levy supporters and the teacher’s union are stepping up in a big way.
Voter apathy and a subdued turnout was to blame for February’s failure. Nearly two-thirds of Pasco teachers and staff living in the district did not vote in the special election.
Neighboring districts in Richland and Kennewick, which also had levy renewals on that ballot, received decent enough support to secure funding.
The measure needs more than 50% support in order to pass. It would tax a rate of about $2.08 on every $1,000 of assessed property value. On a home valued at $400,000, that is about $832 annually.
School levies — which are local taxes paid directly to districts — are important because they fill the gap between the programmatic funding they receive from the state and federal governments, and what schools actually need to provide students a holistic education.
Critics of the tax say they would like to see more accountability over the district’s budget, a staffing plan and reforms, and future levy increases limited to just 3% before they would consider supporting the measure. A new con committee has provided the first formal, organized opposition to the levy since 2018.
In the lead up to the Feb. 10 vote, PAE contributed more than $2,500 to the pro committee, Pasco Votes for Schools. PAE hasn’t made a substantial contribution in the April cycle yet, though Pasco Votes’s total cash contributions have tripled in size so far with supporters fearful of a double levy failure.
