City of Vancouver

The Battle Ground School District relies on local levies and bonds to fund the 35% of the district's operational costs that aren’t covered by the state. After a proposed levy in the form of Proposition 8 narrowly failed to pass in the February special election, the school board passed another levy resolution to put to voters in April. Proposition 9 is an amended proposal to renew the district’s Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levy, which includes only the most essential needs of our students.

Like the February proposition, this EP&O levy renewal would fund special education costs, student safety measures, the arts curriculum, mental health resources, custodial services, nursing and health staff, athletics programs, school buses, and more. Proposition 9 is estimated to cost $1.95 per $1,000 of assessed property value, collected over four years. If approved, the levy would cost the owner of a median-priced $595,000 home approximately $1,160 annually. This new proposed rate is lower than the existing rate that voters approved in 2021.

While Battle Ground’s school board has received praise for its low overhead costs and strong governance, our schools cannot function without the supplemental funding provided by local levies, and EP&O levies in particular. Vote Yes to renew 35% of the district’s operating budget through Proposition 9.

Hockinson School District relies on local levies and bonds to supplement funding from the state. Earlier this year, district voters rejected a proposed bond that would have provided funding for a new elementary school to relieve overcrowding. Voters now have a chance again to provide the funding our students and teachers desperately need in the form of Hockinson School District Proposition 10, a Capital Levy for Safety, Security, and Infrastructure Improvements.

Proposition 10 would authorize a local levy to collect a total of $12.735 million over a six-year span, which would go towards the district’s Capital Projects Fund. The levy is estimated to cost homeowners between $0.66 (on the lowest end) and $0.69 (on the highest end) per $1,000 in assessed property value. This means that, at the upper end, the owner of an $800,000 home can expect to pay approximately $552 annually.

In Hockinson and school districts across the state, levies provide stop-gap funding to cover the basic needs of students. The district’s school board, which was recognized by the Washington State Directors’ Association last year for excellent leadership, adopted the levy measure in order to address desperate construction, repair, and modernization needs within our district’s learning environments.

Every student needs safe, modern, and well-resourced schools to meet their full potential. Vote Yes on Hockinson School District, Proposition 10 to ensure Hockinson schools can give all students the foundation they need to reach for successful, happy futures.