The La Center School District is asking voters to approve an educational programs and operations levy in the Feb. 11 special election to maintain key student programs and faculty in schools.
The levy, which replaces the previous one that expires, will be the same rate as the previous levy, La Center School District Superintendent Peter Rosenkranz said. The district school board approved asking voters to approve a levy rate of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Due to the growth within the district, La Center residents will receive more services for a lower amount than other districts in the area.
“It actually is the lowest rate in the region,” Rosenkranz said, adding that, due to growth in the area, the district will collect more property taxes, while the rate stays the same.
In 2026, the levy will collect an estimated $3.79 million. In year two, the levy is slated to collect $4.10 million, and in its final year in 2028, the levy will collect an estimated $4.42 million, while the rate remains at $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
With growth, the levy collects more without taking more, he said. Rosenkranz added that the cost for services including utilities, insurance, technology, safety upgrades and more outpaced revenue by 28%. The levy will help sustain the funding for necessities.
Additionally, the levy will fund teaching staff positions, activities and athletics, clubs, technology, as well as transportation and special education.
Coming out of the pandemic, Rosenkranz said the district failed its February ballot run but succeeded in August of 2022. Between those months the district had to make budgetary decisions.
“At the time, we had decided to cut all middle school sports and activities,” he said, adding that cuts delay maintenance and repairs and necessary technology upgrades.
If the replacement levy were to fail, Rosenkranz said the district would cut things like high school athletics C-teams and other programs that help make school years a rich experience.
“We’ve been working really hard to expand offerings at the high school as it is,” Rosenkranz said. “We’ve tripled our advanced placement offerings and we’ve doubled our career and technical education offerings …”
With ballots due back Feb. 11, Rosenkranz encourages district residents to vote. He highlighted that education comes at a cost, one not covered by the state.
“The state claims they fully fund education, and yet they don’t,” Rosenkranz said. “And it’s challenging to say the least because it’s expensive to educate children, but, it’s also significant safety upgrades and significantly higher requirements for students than when I went to school. It’s gotten more complex, and I feel like we’ve stepped up to that and made good use of levy funds between the last vote on the levy.”
Rosenkranz invites anybody with questions to reach out to talk with him.
