Bond and Levy

Bond and Levy - What is the Difference?

LEVY = LEARNING

Local levies provide funding for essential educational programs, operations, staff and opportunities for students that are not funded by the state for basic education. The education our community expects is anything bus basic. The EP&O Levy allows us to provide our students what they need - the programs and services that represent a broader and more comprehensive educational experience. Additionally, local levy revenues help Riverside bridge the gaps between what the state provides to operate our schools and the actual costs of operating our schools.

Facts and Figures

The Educational Programs and Operations Levy on the Feb. 13, 2024 ballot is a three-year replacement of our current levy, which is set to expire in 2024. It is not a new tax.
Riverside SD has been supported by a levy for more than 40 years.
About 10% percent of our budget comes from local funding, while the other 90% comes from a combination of federal and state funding.
The current levy funds many essential learning programs and services that fall outside of state-funded basic education and that our community has come to expect, including but not limited to:

Extra-curricular activities (sports, music, and clubs)
Elective courses, staff for smaller class sizes, career and technical education, AP and College in the HS courses, and work-based learning and apprenticeships
Student support (nurses, paraeducators, counselors, and mental health)

- Although state law allows districts to request $2.50 per $1000 of assessed property value, we will keep the estimated levy tax rate at $1.50 per $1,000, which equates to $600 per year for a $400,000 home. We have the lowest levy tax rate of any district in Spokane County and Pend Oreille County.
- The Riverside School District has listened to the community in many ways by offering student learning programs that match our local values.
- Our priorities developed through community feedback serve as the backbone of the learning programs funded with the approval of this levy. Priorities that our students, families, staff, and community members have identified include:
  - Whole child development (academics, activities, arts, athletics)
  - Whole child support (counselors, nurses, mental health therapists)
  - Vocational programs (welding, construction, FFA/Ag science, small engines…)
  - Career and college preparatory programs

BOND = BUILDING

The Bond provides funds for the construction, renovation, and improvement of all of our Riverside school facilities. The State does not pay for buildings and only provides us with matching funds if we pass the bond. For example, we would get another $21 million from the State if we pass this Bond.

Bonds cannot be used to operate schools, fund educational programs, or pay staff. Unlike the simple majority (50%) required for levies, a 60% supermajority is required to pass a bond measure.

See the FULL LIST OF PROJECTS BY BUILDING. Please feel free to call Superintendent Ken Russell at (509) 370-1717 with questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Sample Cafetorium Sample Cafetorium at RHS Case Study - La Center HS

WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF THE LEVY AND BOND?

LEVY

Although state law allows districts to request $2.50 per $1000 of assessed property value, we will keep the estimated levy tax rate at $1.50 per $1,000, which equates to $600 per year and $50 per month for a $400,000 home. We have the lowest levy tax rate of any district in Spokane County and Pend Oreille County. This Replacement Levy will allow the district to collect the following funding each year of the levy.

2025	$3,357,835
2026	$3,609,673
2027	$3,880,399

The reasons we have increased our levy amounts since our last levy are: 1) to adjust to inflation. Schools experience inflation, just like households, and our levy amounts for the past 10 years have not even come close to catching up with inflation; 2) to account for new construction in our area (approximately $175 million in the last 5 years); and 3) we no longer qualify for Local Effort Assistance (LEA) from the state, so we have lost a revenue stream of $400,000-$500,000 per year. Here is a chart of our LEA decline:

Local Effort Assistance Decline

BOND

The Bond tax rate is estimated to be $2.05/$1,000 of assessed property value. With our current Capital Levy expiring, this represents an increase to the current tax rate of $1.42/$1,000. This generates upfront funding of $73,000,000 so we can make needed improvements to all of our buildings. These measures stay in our community to support Team Riverside. As more homes and businesses are built in our area, the tax rate will likely go down.

Tax relief and exemptions may be available to senior citizens, disabled people, and property owners impacted by wildfires. Contact your county assessor’s office for details:

- Spokane County: 509-477-3698
- Pend Oreille County: 509-447-4312