The concern before us, as taxpayers, is the proposed Centralia School District (CSD) enrichment levy for 2024-2025. At $14.6 million, this is a very significant increase over the previous levy. In my professional experience, no entity submits a proposal of this scope without presenting a very thorough and compelling justification. And I’m not talking about a blitz of slick flyers a couple of weeks before the vote. It’s worth remembering that we are the bill payers here, and we decide when an understandable and compelling case has been made for our vote.
So, let’s take a quick look at the list of services and collection rates proposed for each year (via the CSD website). This first group includes costs I felt were most easily understood and expected.
• Athletics, $900,000
• Clubs and activities, $60,000
• Visual and performing arts, $680,000
• Safety and security, $537,000
• Counselors and nurses, $575,000 (includes five counselors at $500,000 and two nurses at $75,000)
• Grounds personnel, $95,000
• Technology staff, $595,000
• Classroom technology, $134,000
• Inflation estimates, $328,720 (approximately 6% each year)
• Total: $3,040,720
These budget items were much less obvious as to what actual problems are being addressed, and how.
• Staff recruitment and retention, $23,000
• Instructional facilitators and instructional coaches, $750,000
• Curriculum, $674,000 (curriculum is state funded)
• Mental health and student behavioral support, $698,280
• Whole Child Approach, $650,000
• Mental health and behavioral support, $698,280
• Total: $3,493,560
I also wrote to the CSD asking why the cost increased by $900K (13%) for the second year, considering there was already about $650K budgeted for inflation. In essence, the answer was to ensure the levy rate does not drop below 1.50 per thousand. If it does, the district wouldn’t qualify for the maximum of “Local Effort Assistance” funds from the State.
In other words, when our assessed values increase again, $6.7 million might not be enough to keep us paying 1.50 per thousand in the second year of the levy. So, the CSD increased the 2025 cost estimates by $900,000 to make SURE they collect as many additional tax dollars from the state (also known as us) as possible. Wow. What a concept, right?
So, let’s try to sum things up;
• No levy dollars can go to “basic education,” the stuff actual teachers work hard to provide every day.
• $3 million (each year) of the levy is for things most of us might expect to be included in a levy.
• $3.5 million (each year) goes for intensive child coaching, encouraging, supporting, etc.
• $900,000 is just there to make sure CSD can get maximum “other” funding from the state.
In case it’s still not clear to all, this is an “enrichment” levy for enhancement and programs that are not defined as basic education. In other words, not for teachers of core subjects like reading, writing, math, science, etc. I encourage you to vote like it’s your money, to be spent for your child. That’s what I plan to do.
Terry Overton
Centralia
