Yakima County Official Local Voters’ Guide
Bickleton School District No. 203
Proposition No. 1
Replacement Maintenance and Operations Levy
The Board of Directors of Bickleton School District No. 203 adopted Resolution No. 23-12-01, concerning a proposition for maintenance and operations. This proposition would authorize the District to levy the following excess taxes, in place of an expiring levy, upon all taxable property within the District, for support of the District’s General Fund maintenance and operations expenses, not fully funded by the state:
Explanatory Statement
Three-Year Replacement Enrichment Levy
Passage of Proposition 1 would maintain Bickleton School District’s existing enrichment educational programs, activities and operations not funded by the state. The proposed three-year levy will replace the district’s current expiring levy and would authorize the collection of taxes to provide $300,000 a year in 2025, 2026, and 2027. The proposed levy rate is lower than the expiring voter-approved levy rates. When the previous expiring Levy was passed, it was expected that levy rates could be $0.92/thousand at the maximum. The actual rates were $0.77 in 2022, $0.61 in 2023 and $0.56 in 2024 (all values per thousand). The maximum possible the district would receive for this proposed levy is $0.85/thousand. Local levy dollars would continue to fund expenses not funded completely by the state: Extra-Curricular Activities in Program 28, Emergency Needs and Non-Education Expenses.
all as provided in Resolution 23-12-01.
Statement for
In the absolute best interest of our students at the Bickleton School, voters should consider voting “yes” on the Replacement Educational and Operations levy. This levy is imperative in bridging the gap in funding between what is funded by the state and what is actually needed to finance much of our school’s enrichment educational programs, activities and operations. This levy will provide the necessary funds for extracurricular activities that enrich the lives of our students, including uniforms, athletic supplies, and coach salaries. It will also provide support for emergency needs, such as boiler replacements and HVAC repairs. And this levy will fund non education expenses, including technology infrastructure and utilities.
The current and expiring levy was passed with a proposed rate of $0.92/thousand at the maximum, but during the three years that it was in place, the rate was never above $0.77 per thousand. The current levy will expire this year, and the new, proposed levy is at a maximum of $0.85 per thousand, lower than the current levy was originally proposed to be. This new, proposed levy will bring in $300,000 per year, from 2025 through 2027, to support the funding needs of the Bickleton school, needs that ultimately support the Bickleton school, from every student to every teacher to every classroom computer.
Vote yes on this levy and support our Bickleton students and their needed activities, emergency needs and the additional, non-education expenses that are crucial to maintaining the current student opportunities and functionality of the Bickleton school.
Submitted by committee volunteer Erica Kingsbury, 509 830-4946 ericalkingsbury@gmail.com
Voter Registration Information
Statement against
Recently there was a law put into effect (RCW 29A.32.280) which requires taxing districts to present both for, and against statements in the voters pamphlet. If neither can be accomplished by the taxing district, then the County Auditor will appoint someone (who, may not even live in the same taxing district or even county) to compose a statement.
This seems fundamentally wrong. Wouldn’t a sane voter want to read a statement for or, against from another community member?
The Bickleton School Board asked for volunteers to serve on both committees. I answered the call.
The levy is essentially a continuation of our current levy. It’s really not a new tax.
I suppose if I were against it this would be the correct place to voice opposition to the proposed levy. Fellow voters would also find me running around with my hair afire, and passionately urging you voters in our school district that are against it, to vote no. It is your right as a voter. Voters should always vote their conscience. Not doing so would be a disservice to democracy.
Have you seen me running around town with the hair I’ve got left on fire?
Submitted by committee volunteer Peter Mercer, 509 832-1366, Peter65njamie@gmail.com
If you need to register to vote or update your registration, visit www.votewa.gov or contact us:
www.yakimacounty.us/vote
509.574.1340 or 1.800.833.0569
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iVote@co.yakima.wa.us
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Ballot return options
• Return your ballot by mail - no stamp needed. Your ballot must be postmarked by April 23 to count.
• Use an official ballot drop box. Drop boxes are open 24/7 until 8pm on April 23, election day.
Mabton City Hall - 305 N Main St
Yakima - E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, or Yakima County Elections Office, 128 N 2nd Street, Room 117; M-F 9am-4pm
Accessible voting options
Visit www.votewa.gov to access your ballot online or visit us at the Yakima County Elections office to use a voting unit that is designed for use with tactile switches, sip-and-puff devices and headphones.