PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles School Board adopted a new maintenance and operations levy resolution to adjust the projected rate to taxpayers last week.
The two-year levy, which would collect $8.6 million in 2016 and $8.8 million in 2017, is one of two proposals the school district will put before voters Feb. 10.
The other is a $98 million bond to replace eight classroom buildings and refurbish the auditorium on the 39.7-acre Port Angeles High School campus.
The board Thursday repealed the levy resolution it had approved Nov. 13 and immediately approved a new one.
The difference was in the estimated tax rate for the levy, which is a replacement levy for the current four-year levy that will expire in December 2015.
December’s resolution revises the estimated tax rate upward, from $2.57 per $1,000 assessed property valuation to $3.26 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The present levy collected $8,443,062 for the district in 2014. The taxes collected in 2014 were on a levy rate for 2013. That levy rate was $3.23 per $1,000 assessed valuation.
The new levy would maintain levy funding for the school district for two years through 2017, district officials said.
It would pay for utilities, student transportation, such extracurricular activities as athletics and special music programs, health services, maintenance, technology, career technical education and basic education.
A separate measure on the February ballot would provide bonds to build a new high school at the present site at 304 E. Park Ave.
The bonds would be in the amount of $98,254,000 for a term of 25 years.
The bond would cost property owners $2.06 per $1,000 assessed property value for 25 years based on 2014 values.
Property owners are currently paying 0.46 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value for the Dry Creek and Jefferson Elementary bonds that expire in December 2015.
If approved, the Port Angeles High School bond payments would begin after this expiration.
The change in the amount a property owner would pay for the bond is from the current 0.46 cents to the new $2.06, an increase of $1.60 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
An owner whose property is valued at the community median of $172,250 is currently paying $79.24 annually.
This will increase by $275.60, or $22.97 per month to $354.84 annually or $29.57 monthly.
To calculate estimated annual tax increase for the bond, divide assessed property value by 1,000 and multiply by $1.60.
The combination of the levy and the new bond, if both are approved, would mean an estimated additional $1.63 per $1,000 cost to property owners.
For more information, see www.portangelesschools.org.
Levy and bond questions, comments and suggestions may be emailed to info@portangelesschools.org, or sent by the U.S. Postal Service to Superintendent, Port Angeles School District, 216 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles, WA 98362.