Central Committee passes resolution advising rejection of 2020 Port Angeles School District Levy

Jan 16, 2020 | Alerts, For Your Action, Taxation

Democrats to raise more taxes from the hard-working citizens
Port Angeles, WA – Jan. 2, 2020 – At the regular meeting of the Clallam County Republican Party’s (CCRP) Central Committee meeting, a Resolution was passed by a strong majority advising the rejection of the 2020 Port Angeles School District (PASD) $52 million capital levy, which will be on the ballot for that District in a Special Election to be held February 11, 2020.  Ballots will be mailed on January 22, 2020, and voters can accept or reject the levy with a 51% vote.

The CCRP Central Committee agrees with Citizens for Affordable Schools, the levy’s opponents, who states that the levy would be

  • a 175% property tax increase for PASD residents, and
  • that the PASD School Board should use the least costly, common sense solutions to remedy PASD school building deficiencies.
  • PASD’s school board should replace old electrical, plumbing and heating systems, and flooring (if needed) instead of wastefully demolishing and replacing several Stevens Middle School’s buildings.

For many reasons, levy opponents argue voters should reject this capital levy that can pass by a simple majority vote.

Citizens for Affordable Schools states:

  • The PASD School Board plans new buildings at Stevens Middle School to move sixth graders to new classrooms, without providing research on benefits for this move and without increased district enrollment or overcrowding,
  • The local economy differs significantly from wealthier areas in our state with a much higher unemployment, much lower median income, and costly new utility rate increases,
  • The PASD School Board fails to include modular construction’s approximate 35% cost savings if buildings are needed,
  • In Washington state, five times voters passed initiatives requiring a two-thirds vote for legislative tax increases, and therefore, PASD diminishes voters’ inherent right to control taxation amounts by placing capital levies requiring simple majority approval on the ballot.

Read more information about this issue at “Stop PA School Tax.com”

The entire Resolution can be read here:  RESOLUTION OPPOSING 2020 PASD LEVY