Hard-times plea by schools

In the midst of the worst economic crisis in decades, school districts across the state are asking voters to approve billions of dollars in levy and bond issues to operate, maintain and in some cases build new schools.

Most of the school initiatives on the ballot for Feb. 9's special election would renew expiring levies, meaning their approval would continue existing taxes, not instate new ones.

School officials acknowledge that it's a tough time to put pocketbook measures before voters but say securing the funding is essential — especially given how deeply the state has cut its financial support for eduction.

"These levies really are absolutely critical," said Sharon Rodgers, spokeswoman for Schools First, a group that works to pass Seattle Public Schools levies.

Many of the initiatives are operations levies, which fund about 20 percent of districts' general-fund budgets. Others are capital levies, which pay for building maintenance and technology upgrades, or bond issues, for new building construction or major renovations.

Levies require a simply majority to pass, while bond issues need 60 percent approval and a minimum number of votes.

In all, 23 districts in King and Snohomish counties are seeking money in some form.

The measures vary from district to district, as would the cost of each to taxpayers in districts that approve them — from 15 cents per $1,000 of a home's assessed value for a $21.2 million capital levy in Federal Way, to $3.05 per every $1,000 of assessed property value for a $38.9 million operations levy in Enumclaw.

Seattle Public Schools

Although Seattle Public Schools is asking voters to approve the largest amount of money — a total of $712.7 million for renewals of a three-year operations levy and a six-year capital levy — the cost to individual taxpayers would be one of the smallest.

Costs change each year during the life of the measures, but would be between $1.07 and $1.11 for the operations levy and between 27 cents and 35 cents for the capital levy. That means a taxpayer with a $380,000 house — the median price of homes that sold last month in King County — would pay, depending on the year, $407 to $422 for the operations levy and $103 to $133 per year for the capital levy, roughly the same as what the levies now cost.

The operations levy would help pay for salaries, supplies, extracurricular activities and more, Rodgers said. The capital levy would finance hundreds of small projects, including reopening five schools, maintenance at other buildings and technology upgrades.

The district already has about a $500 million backlog of maintenance projects, and some think that alone is reason to reject the capital levy. Critics like school activist and parent Melissa Westbrook think a "no" vote would force the district to rethink its method of maintaining its buildings.

"This levy is like using a garden hose on a forest fire," Westbrook said. "The only thing these elected officials are going to listen to is a defeat."

Westbrook said some Seattle school buildings are unequipped to handle an earthquake similar to the one in Haiti, and that a message needs to be sent by voters. "You have only one weapon, and that's your vote," she said.

Seattle voters have not rejected a capital levy for schools since 1996 or an operations levy since 1976.

But this election is different.

Along with the grim economy, this is the first time that an election on Seattle Public Schools levies will be conducted strictly by mail. It's also the first time operations levies will need only a simple majority to pass and can't fail because of low voter turnout.

The stakes are high, Rodgers said, and a loss would mean "absolutely draconian cuts."

As in all districts, if the operations levy fails, the Seattle School Board could again ask voters to approve it as soon as April. But rejection would lead to "more than a great panic" by school officials, said Lisa Macfarlane, director of external affairs for the League of Education Voters. Rerunning an operations levy in Seattle also could cost the schools $1 million because the state would not pay costs associated with a second election.

Lake Washington

On the Eastside, the Lake Washington School District is one of the few in the area with a bond issue on the ballot.

The $234 million proposal would give the district money to make room for a fast-growing student population by converting its high schools, which currently include grades 10 through 12, to four-year schools. The district's junior highs would become middle schools, and two new elementary schools would be built in areas of the district near new subdivisions.

The district is looking to make the change by the fall of 2013, spokeswoman Kathryn Reith said. With 1,200 new students expected by fall of 2014, the alternative would have been to build six new elementaries.

The bond issue would provide money to expand current schools and build new ones to accommodate the change. It would increase property taxes by 32 to 33 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Voters also will be asked to approve four-year operations and capital levies. Those measures combined would cost $1.83 per $1,000 of assessed value in their first year, and $2.04 in their final year.

Northshore schools

The neighboring Northshore School District is also asking voters to approve a bond measure.

Its $149 million bond request would add a major new building to Woodinville High School, continue renovation at Kenmore Junior High and fund other improvements and maintenance.

It would increase property taxes by 33 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Tukwila schools

While many districts are asking voters to renew levies for technology projects, the Tukwila School District is the only one in the area without one already in place.

This year district officials are proposing a new six-year levy that would pay for new computers and provide higher-speed Internet access. A small portion of the funds would go for building repair.

The cost to homeowners would vary by year between 44 cents and 24 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Other initiatives

The Issaquah and Riverview school districts are both seeking renewal of operations and capital levies and asking voters to approve other, small measures so they can buy new school buses.

Voters in the Shoreline School District will be asked to renew operations and capital levies and to approve a $150 million bond for high-school modernization.

The ballot for those in the Marysville School District will have an operations-levy renewal and a $78 million construction bond to renovate two elementary schools and a middle school.

Other districts in King or Snohomish counties seeking renewal of both operations and capital levies include Bellevue, Everett, Fife, Kent, Lake Stevens, Mercer Island, Mukilteo, Snoqualmie Valley and Tahoma.

Districts seeking renewal of just an operations levy include Edmonds, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Snohomish, Sultan and Vashon Island.

The Bainbridge Island School District in Kitsap County is also seeking renewal of an operations levy.

Brian Rosenthal: 206-464-3195 or brosenthal@seattletimes.com

Seattle Times staff reporters

Linda Shaw, Katherine Long and Lynn Thompson contributed

to this report.