Board members press staff on tax impact; staff explains capital vs. operating referenda

Board members asked for clear public information about whether the planned financing would raise property tax bills and how this relates to referendum law.

Mr. Matt Miles told the board "the majority, the vast majority of our taxpayers will see no change" and estimated from memory that "roughly 80%" would not see an impact, and he pointed the public to the district slide deck for the precise numbers. Several board members pressed for clarity about referendum types. Miss Lawrence asked staff to explain the difference between an operating referendum and a capital referendum; Mr. Miles replied that capital referenda fund construction projects (he cited prior high school overhauls as an example) while operating referenda supplement day-to-day expenses and the district currently does not have an operating referendum.

Board members and staff also discussed state law changes (SEA1, 2025) that limit certain local property-tax revenues and the scheduling requirement that referenda occur in general election years, which has pushed many districts to pursue referenda in 2026. Mr. Miles and others emphasized fund accounting rules: funds designated for education, operations, and capital are restricted and cannot be intermingled except where statute permits transfers (reported elsewhere in the meeting).