Two BSD levy measures to go before voters in special election

Levies would replace existing levies that expire at end of calendar year 2020

The Bremerton School District Board has approved two levy measures to go before voters for the Feb. 11 special election.

These levies would replace two existing levies that expire at the end of 2020. The collection of both replacement levies would go into effect in the calendar year 2021. Proposition one is the Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy, a four-year levy with funds collected from 2021 through 2024.

The proposition would account for approximately 15 percent of the Bremerton School District’s revenue with a projected rate per thousand of $2.50, according to bremertonschools.org. The levy would also help maintain programs vital to the schools and students such as extracurricular activities, student mental health support, and school security staff.

Proposition two is a two-year replacement Capital Levy with funds collected from 2021 to 2022, replacing the current capital levy which will expire at the end of the year. The projected rate per thousand of the levy would be $1.23. The levy would fund replacement of and improvements to existing BSD facilities in an effort to meet current and future educational programs for students. Some of these improvements include health and safety, plumbing, electrical, fire safety, heating and air conditioning, exterior maintenance, among other building repairs.

If both levies pass, the rate per thousand would be approximately 90 cents less in 2021 than it was in 2017, before the state changed the mechanisms for funding school operations and programming, according to bremertonschools.org.