Cashmere School District Looking to Renew M&O Levy

Voters in the Cashmere School District will begin receiving their Special Election ballots later this month for February's vote and will be asked to vote on a renewal, with a slight increase, of the District's Maintenance and Operations Levy.

Superintendent Glenn Johnson says the money is for things that are not covered in the state's new funding model.

"The State has done a lot to increase funding, but at the same time there are gaps. The levy touches every single kid and program in our district."

Johnson says the limiting of levy money has unintentionally hurt some districts.

The four-year levy would start at $1.75 per $1-thousand of assessed value in 2019 and increase by 25 cents for the next two years.

Johnson says recently the state legislature raised the maximum districts could ask for in levy funding, but they also wanted to involve the community.

"Even with the McCleary tax added to that, the total tax rate for levy collection under our proposal is still below the historical rates that we've paid as a district."

The District is holding an informational meeting on the proposal Monday night, January 6th beginning at 6:00 at the Riverside Center.