Educational Programs & Operations Replacement Levy Proposal

Replacement Levy Facts

Thank you for your interest in Wapato Public Schools Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Replacement Levy.

On February 8, 2022 voters in the Wapato School District will be asked to approve a 4-year Educational Programs and Operations Replacement Levy. The proposed levy is not a new tax. If approved it would simply renew and replace the existing EP&O Levy that voters approved in February 2018. The existing levy expires on December 31, 2022. The proposed replacement levy collection would start in January 2023 and remain in place through December 2026.

Replacement Levy Proposal

On February 8, 2022 Wapato School District voters will be asked to approve the following 4-year replacement levy proposal:

Year	Total Collected	Est. Levy Rate Per $1000 of Value
2023	$1,525,000	$1.63
2024	$1,525,000	$1.55
2025	$1,675,000	$1.63
2026	$1,675,000	$1.55

In the above graph you see a fluctuation in the estimated levy rate per $1000 of value from $1.63 in 2023 to $1.55 in 2026. The fluctuation is due to a projected increase in the total assessed value of taxable properties within the Wapato School District boundaries. As the total assessed value increases the estimated levy rate per $1000 of assessed value will decrease. As the levy rate goes down so does the annual cost to the property owner.

EXAMPLE: Estimated Homeowner Cost Per Year

Home Value	$150,000
Estimated Levy Rate Per $1000	$1.63
Estimated Annual Cost to Homeowner	$245

The average annual levy rate of the proposed 4-year EP&O levy is estimated at $1.59 per $1000 of assessed value. If you compared that rate to the one property owners within the Wapato School District boundaries currently pay, you would find it is very close to the same rate. The proposed levy is not a new tax, it would simply renew and replace the existing EP&O Levy when it expires in December 2022.

The Replacement Levy Pays For:

State and Federal dollars do not fully fund the day-to-day operations of Wapato Public Schools. To bridge the gap the District must also rely on revenue from the voter approved levy to support essential educational programs and activities for your students. The following list is some of what the levy money helps fund:

Teachers & Other Staff
Safety & Security
Nurses & Health Care Staff
Counselors
Athletics & Extracurricular Activities
Learning Support Programs
Textbooks & Teaching Materials
Technology for classroom instruction
Day-to-Day Operations (food service, utilities, etc.)

(examples of levy supported services not a comprehensive list)

Voter Approved Replacement Levy = State Levy Equalization Money

If voters approve the proposed EP&O Replacement Levy it is estimated the State would give the Wapato School District more than $4-million per year in Levy Equalization (see graph below). Levy Equalization is a State program designed to help equalize the difference in levy revenue that can be collected by school districts with high property values and those with lower property values, like Wapato.

2023: Wapato Public Schools would receive an estimated $4.1-million in State Levy Equalization
2024: Wapato Public Schools would receive an estimated $4.1-million in State Levy Equalization
2025: Wapato Public Schools would receive an estimated $4.1-million in State Levy Equalization
2026: Wapato Public Schools would receive an estimated $4.1-million in State Levy Equalization

Levy Equalization accounts for around 7% of the Wapato School District's annual budget.

In order for Wapato Public Schools to receive State Levy Equalization, voters must approve the replacement levy.