by David Mendez

Shoreline voters appear to have approved a pair of levies that would help fund programs and technology improvements across the Shoreline School District.

As of the second ballot returns posted by King County Wednesday afternoon, Proposition 1 — the Educational Programs and Operations Levy — has been approved by 72.38% of voters so far. Proposition 2 — the Capital Levy for Technology Improvements and Support — won over 76.27% of voters.

The first year of the EP&O Levy, effective in 2027, will collect a maximum of $39 million in property taxes, a roughly 10% increase over the $35.46 million collected this year. The levy then expects to grow by an additional $2.5 million each year, landing at $46.5 million collected in its last effective year, 2030. The Tech Levy is expected to collect $7.5 million each year from 2027 to 2030.

The outcome was never really in doubt, given voter trends. Last August, voters approved a one-year Supplemental EP&O Levy, worth $7.25 million, with 75.69% of the vote. That levy helped bridge the gap of the most recent four-year EP&O, which by itself topped out at $28.75 million in funding this year. Four years ago, voters broadly approved both EP&O and Tech levies. Respectively, the two received 70.14% and 71.92% of the vote.

The district has been staring down budget difficulties, as has every public school district across the state. Property taxes fund public schools across Washington, paving over holes that state and federal funding leave behind. State Superintendent of Public Education Chris Reykdal has urged the legislature to increase school funding, and last week called for the proposed state income tax to boost public school and higher education funding.

State funding effectively keeps school districts across the state running. State funds pay for teacher salaries, supplies and day-to-day operations in accordance with a pupil-based funding formula. 

But while state funding follows strict formulas that seek to distribute money equitably, local levies are based on community property values — which means that wealthier communities might produce bigger school budgets compared to disadvantaged neighbors.

Funds raised by local property taxes can be used to set more competitive salaries for teachers and staff; help pay for classroom supplies, building maintenance, and transportation costs; ensure smaller class sizes and fund enrichment programs, like music, performance and visual arts. Tech levies can be used to ensure internet access and for buying computers and software.

Effectively, they’re used to close the gap between what the state finds equitable from district to district, and what the district and the community value in their schools.

However, the state has capped how much a district can raise through levies. At most, a school district can tax $2.50 per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. If the new levies pass as expected, Shoreline properties would be taxed at a rate of $1.97 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2027. The rate would increase to $1.98 from 2028 through 2030.