Don’t let the kids or your communities down. Vote ‘yes’ on Tri-City area school levies

Ask job recruiters and they will tell you that a community is judged by its schools.

A thriving public school system is a plus for any town — big or small. If the educational opportunities offered are merely average, it’s tough to recruit new companies and new families to the area.

The Tri-City area has been known for decades as a great place to raise kids, but that reputation could be at risk if Benton County voters don’t step up to financially support their schools.

Too many residents in Kennewick, Finley and Prosser voted against their school levies in February. Now, all three are trying again and it’s their last chance for the year.

Ballots have gone out and are due April 26. If the levies fail a second time, there will be cuts to staff and programs — no doubt. And first on the chopping block likely will be the “extras” that have made these school districts stand out.

That’s because the state’s idea of a basic education is inadequate, and it’s the local tax money that helps make sure students get the broad opportunities they need, as well as the specialized care.

In response to the levy failures, leaders in all three districts went back to the drawing board. They have scaled back their requests and are working harder to get information out to voters.

In Kennewick, the term for the levy has been reduced from four years to two years and the amounts have been lowered. They have gone from $21.25 million to $20.625 million in 2023, and from $25.35 million to $23.375 million in 2024.

School districts are not allowed to collect more than the levy dollar amount, so if property values increase, the tax rate is lower. Kennewick school officials estimate the tax rate will be $1.75 per $100,000 of assessed value in 2023 and $1.85 per $100,000 in 2024.

And as it happens, that estimated tax rate is among the lowest in the Tri-Cities. Kennewick residents can check the graph out that’s included in the pamphlet that was mailed along with the ballots.

The brochure is comprehensive and should help people see how local money helps fill in what the state doesn’t cover.

For instance, 218 Kennewick coaching positions are paid for by local levy money. Zero comes from the state.

School psychologists and school nurses are also funded primarily with local money. Local tax money also provides extra educational staff support that is crucial in helping students who have additional needs.

When student athletes excel and represent their schools in championship settings, it’s because local tax dollars helped get them there.

When a high school kid is at risk of dropping out but makes a U-turn, it is often because they received specialized help from staff and programs funded by the local levy.

And students who get to experience music, art, drama, cheer team, FFA and academic clubs are able to do that because enough people in the community committed to making sure they had those opportunities.

After two years of COVID, learning loss and upheaval, now is not the time to reduce programs that help kids. They are just now getting back to a normal school year.

Another levy failure would take that away.

According to a post-levy survey in Kennewick, 32% of the 2,000 responses said they were concerned about the state mask mandate in schools.

Well, masks were never something local school districts could control. The mandate came from the state and those districts that tried to defy it ended up backtracking (just look at what happened in Richland).

But masks are no longer required in the classroom so that’s moot point.

And as for the dollar amount originally requested, school leaders got the message.

The new levies reflect a tightening of the belt that voters indicated they want. And it is important to note these are not new taxes, but replacement taxes.

It’s local support that can make the difference between providing students with a subpar school experience and an excellent one.

Vote “yes” on the levies.