The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) pre-approves Tahoma School District's levy spending plan prior to each ballot measure. The Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) and OSPI also approve the district's annual operating budget, which includes expected levy revenue and general fund expenditures. OSPI publishes the district' annual budget on its website for public view.

Additionally, the district participates in an annual financial audit with the Washington State Auditor's Office (SAO). The SAO also performs an accountability audit to ensure the district is in compliance with state laws, regulations, board policies, board procedures, and has sound internal controls to safeguard its public resources.

All available audit reports can be found on the district's Budget 101 website: www.tahomasd.us/budget101 

As of April 2024, Tahoma School District has received 6-straight audit reports with no significant deficiencies, material weaknesses, or findings of instances of noncompliance.

To calculate the projected impact on your property taxes, divide your property's assessed value by $1,000, then multiply by the projected tax rate.

Since 2020, a portion of Tahoma’s costs have been paid for using available reserves in our general fund (bank account). The school board did this to run a lower levy rate. That account has been intentionally spent down, and no longer has the funds to support continued reserve-spending. Those funding gaps will now need to be covered through an increase in the levy rate, or significant cuts will be required.

The Tahoma School Board would be required to adopt a budget with a shortfall of at least $15 million for next school year. This would mean significant cuts to the levy-funded programs listed in the “What’s Funded by the EP&O Levy?” section above.

Yes. In fact, each of the other 19 school districts in King County collect an EP&O Levy (sometimes called an “Education Levy” or “Enrichment Levy”), as approved by their district’s voters. Nearly all Washington school districts propose local levies to their communities.

A replacement levy “replaces” an existing levy that is expiring. Tahoma’s Replacement Levy proposition is not a new tax. The proposed rate of $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed value is an increase from the current rate of $1.98. It is not an increase of $2.50 per thousand.

All staff positions will be impacted. Teachers and other certificated staff members whose positions are not eliminated would automatically lose their Professional Learning Enrichment (PLE) stipend, which makes up about 14% of the average salary. Classified staff members whose positions are not eliminated would lose a portion of their contracted raise. School and district administrators not eliminated would lose any stipend they currently receive.

Any program listed in the “What’s Funded by the EP&O Levy” section on the inside page is at risk of losing some or all of its funding with a levy failure in April. After the initial reductions in staff pay listed in the answer above, the board would still need to cut at least $7 million from the 2023-24 budget.

Any resident within the Tahoma School District boundaries who is registered to vote may vote for the Replacement Levy proposition in April. Citizens can register to vote at votewa.gov , and online/mail-in voter registrations must be received 8 days prior to Election Day (received by April 15).

Election Day is April 23, and ballots can be returned in a drop box or through USPS mail as early as April 5.

Visit the Tahoma Budget 101 website at: https://www.tahomasd.us/budget101 

For any levy-related questions or concerns, please email AJ Garcia, Public Relations Director for the Tahoma School District, at  [email protected].