Superintendent Michelle Whitney urges Pasco voters to back replacement levy after narrow February loss

Superintendent Michelle Whitney urged Pasco residents to vote in favor of a replacement levy on April 28, saying the district narrowly lost a renewal levy in February and needs the local funding to preserve staffing and programs. "In February, Pasco School District placed a renewal levy on the ballot during the special election. The outcome was very close," Whitney said, noting 49.73% supported the levy while 50.27% opposed it and the measure fell short by 59 votes.

Whitney said the Board of Directors voted to put a replacement levy on the April 28 special-election ballot and that the total amount requested will not change. The superintendent said the estimated tax rate fell slightly from $2.17 to about $2.08 per $1,000 of assessed value. "This replacement levy continues a tax homeowners already pay. It is not an additional tax," she said, and offered an example: at $2.08 per $1,000, a $400,000 home would contribute about $832 per year, roughly $2 per day.

The district described how the levy fits into its overall budget. Whitney said about 50% of the district's revenue comes from the state for basic education, roughly one-third from restricted state and federal programs, about 10% from the local levy, approximately 3% from Local Effort Assistance (LEA), and about 1% from grants and other sources. Levy funding itself represents roughly $50 million that supports students across the district; Whitney said the district receives about $14.1 million a year in LEA dollars. "We only receive LEA funding if our local levy passes," she said.

Whitney spelled out potential consequences if voters do not approve the levy. "If the levy does not pass, the district would lose nearly $50 million per year. This is equivalent to about 500 positions," she said, warning that cuts would affect staff, programs, and services in every school. The superintendent listed services funded by levy dollars that would be at risk or reduced without the levy: nurses and counselors; athletics, clubs and extracurricular programs; school resource officers and safety staff; paraeducators and classroom support; special education supports and assistant principals; training days and curriculum materials; and many clerical and technology positions.

The levy also supports operations and maintenance costs that keep schools running, Whitney said, including custodians, grounds and maintenance workers, vehicles, and mechanics who maintain buses and equipment. She added that athletics, music, visual and performing arts, clubs and academic competitions are largely funded by the levy rather than state allocations.

Whitney addressed common questions: many state and federal funds are restricted and cannot be used for general operations or extracurricular activities, which makes local levy funds an important flexible resource. She compared Pasco with neighboring districts, saying Richland and Kennewick each run two levies and collect more in local levies. Whitney also noted that about 25% of registered voters participated in the February election and reiterated the legal threshold: school levies require a simple majority (50% plus one) to pass.

On logistics, Whitney said ballots for the April 28 special election should be mailed no later than April 7 and recommended using drop boxes because mail processed through Spokane can experience delays; she said 267 ballots were not counted in the last election due to late postmarks. She closed by directing listeners to a QR code for questions and urging voters to return ballots by the April 28 election.

The district did not present alternative budget scenarios or list specific positions targeted for reduction; Whitney's statement described the scale of potential cuts in aggregate terms and tied the district's eligibility for LEA to passage of the levy. The ballot will be mailed beginning April 7 and the replacement levy vote is scheduled for April 28.