Voters decide on school operating referendum November 3

What happened

The board put an operating referendum on the November 3, 2026 ballot. It would let the district charge up to 35 cents per $100 of assessed value for eight years (2027-2034), raising at most $3,374,291 a year. The current referendum, at about 21 cents, ends in 2027. The district's ballot estimate for a median $400,000 home is $681 a year.

Why it matters to families

Staff said that without a renewal the district would need to cut more than $2.5 million right away and would run out of cash by 2029. The state's new property tax law (SEA 1) is already cutting about $467,000 a year.

The evidence

In the June 2026 meeting recording, staff read the ballot terms ("a property tax rate that does not exceed 35 cents and results in a maximum annual amount that does not exceed 3,374,291"), say "the election day is on November 3rd", and say "Without a renewal. We would need to immediately cut more than 2.5 million dollars." The board voted to approve the referendum resolution.

The source