Letter: Pasco schools have other options than costly bond

I plan on voting “no” on the Pasco school bond. This bond is ill timed and expensive.

This bond calls for the rebuilding of Stevens Middle School. In 2013, we passed a 20-year bond to make capital improvements ($307,609) to Stevens. We are still paying for those upgrades. Accountability and planning?

Upon reading HB 2242, the state will raise our required state school property tax from current $1.05/per thousand of assessed value to $3.60/per thousand of assessed value in the next four years (2022). This is a planned codified increase of 243 percent.

Further study disclosed a large loop hole for districts to increase their levy rates for “enrichment programs” (aka maintenance and operation levy), which includes professional learning, extracurricular activities, extended day/year, and “a nonexhaustive list of specifically permitted activities.” Plans to increase levy lid?

PSD must plan for growth and 100 percent utilization of our district resources before asking for more money. Residents of Pasco, property owners and renters you will pay handsomely with this bond passage.

Please join me in voting “no” on the Pasco school bond.

This story was originally published October 25, 2017 at 4:43 PM with the headline "Letter: Pasco schools have other options than costly bond."