For the fourth time since Feb. 13, 2024, Yelm Community Schools (YCS) is asking the community to pass an educational programs and operations (EP&O) levy.
This time, the district has trimmed down its request considerably at a rate of $1.30 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
The Yelm School Board approved the levy request during a meeting on Thursday, July 31, with a unanimous vote. Board members Bill Hauss, Denise Hendrickson, Casey Shaw and Debbie Edwards voted to pass the levy measure in person, while Frank King made his vote via Zoom.
The school district has attempted three previous levies on Feb. 13, 2024, April 23, 2024, and Feb. 11, 2025, at a proposed rate of $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
“We know that is not going to restore our ending fund balance. This was a very, very difficult decision and recommendation because we knew even if we went up to even $1.40, we could restore the ending fund balance. We also want to acknowledge what our community has said about feeling the pinch of taxes, particularly after this last legislative session,” Yelm Superintendent Chris Woods said on Thursday night via Zoom. “I just want to acknowledge this does not restore the ending fund balance, and that would still be a challenge we have ahead of us. However, this would get us to a place of being balanced with some additional cuts at the end of the year, but not nearly as extreme as it would need to be without this levy.”
Woods added that revenue is not keeping up with expenditures, leading to many districts, including YCS, having budget issues. He noted these districts include areas that are passing levies.
“We are not asking our voters for anything more than what we absolutely need. That’s even at a place where it’s below maintained. We are asking just to barely get to below maintaining where we are at now. If the levy fails, we will be cutting very deep in all areas,” Woods said. “The system has to change. But in the meantime, we’ve got to find ways to fill that back to where we’re funded and where we need to be funded.”
The superintendent also talked about what might loom ahead for the school district if a fourth levy fails — including cuts to sports and staffing. He did not sugarcoat the potential bleak future of YCS, and added a more specific list of cuts will be coming in the near future.
“Without the levy, we can’t get there. We can cut all sports. We can cut staffing to the very bare minimum, to where we are just meeting the letter of law as far as supervision and instruction, just meeting the letter of the law in administrative oversight. There would be no extracurricular activities,” Woods said. “There would be nothing above and beyond what would be a very basic education for our students. I think our students deserve way better than that.”
In preparation of the upcoming November election, Woods met with Yelm resident Martin Miller, who will be writing the “against letter” for the upcoming tax proposal. According to Woods, Martin’s biggest reason for voting against the measure was all about taxes.
“It was truly about taxes and his situation, and being taxed out of his property. He’s on a fixed income. He thinks our board is doing a great job. He told me he thinks I’m doing a good job, especially with what we’re dealing with. He’s supportive of our schools, and said his opinion is based on the tax issue — which I think we all understand,” Woods said. “At the same time, we both could agree that our students deserve the best that we can provide. I think we are missing the mark if we are not able to give them at least this amount of the levy, so that we can provide them with the same opportunities our neighbors are getting.”
The Nisqually Valley News will continue to provide information about the upcoming November election levy measure, including election night coverage.
