$27M in Mid-Columbia school, fire funding on the line in Feb. election. What to know

Voters in rural Benton and Franklin counties will weigh in on $27 million in money for school and fire districts in the Feb. 13 special election.

Ballots are being mailed this week to more than 10,000 in Prosser, Paterson and several north Franklin County communities.

Voters will have until 8 p.m. on election day to return the ballots to a county certified drop box.

Ballots can also be returned by mail, but they must be postmarked by Feb. 13 to be counted. No postage is required to return ballots through the U.S. Postal Service.

Feb. 5 is the last day for voters to register or change their information online. After that, those changes can be made in person at your county auditor’s office up until 8 p.m. Feb. 13.

Washington state’s presidential primary is March 12. Those ballots are to be mailed starting Feb. 23.

2 Prosser school levies

Voters in Prosser School District will see two propositions on the February ballot.

▪ The first one is an $18 million, four-year replacement levy to support school operations and educational programs not funded by the state.

This operations levy is not a new tax. It replaces an existing levy expiring this year at a lower rate.

Plus, the state will provide Prosser an extra $1.4 million annually for having an active levy.

These existing dollars fund technology equipment, athletic programs, instructional materials, special education instruction, music and theater departments, teachers and support staff. The levy also keeps nurses and security officers in every school building.

In total, Prosser’s levy covers 10% of the district’s general fund budget.

If passed, Prosser’s operations levy would tax $2 on every $1,000 of assessed property value in the school district. Owners with a home valued at $350,000 would pay about $700 a year.

If it fails to pass, the district, which serves 2,500 students, will be faced with cutting staff and programs.

▪ Prosser’s other tax proposition is a four-year, $3 million capital levy that would fund security and infrastructure improvements at one of the district’s oldest buildings, Housel Middle School.

The district’s proposed capital levy will pay for safety, security and infrastructure improvements for 35 cents on every $1,000 of assessed property value. That’s about $123 annually for a home valued at $350,000.

Improvements would include new secure school entrances, security cameras, entry and access controls, door locks, plumbing, electrical and HVAC system work.

It will also pay for new tennis-pickleball courts, restroom and concession improvements at Art Fiker Memorial Stadium, ADA ramps and parking facilities.

Kahlotus fire station

Franklin County Fire District 2 is asking voters to finance the replacement of its fire station in Kahlotus with a pre-fabricated metal building at 115 N. Violet Ave.

It would house six fire trucks and meet the district’s current and future response needs.

The district would issue $525,000 worth of bonds that would be repaid by the taxpayers over 15 years. It’s not clear what the tax rate per $1,000 will be until after the bond is passed.

The size and age of the current fire facilities at 300 E. Weston Street is inadequate for the district’s needs, say officials.

District 2 serves 275 square miles on the west bank of the lower Snake River. The force is entirely volunteer, and operations and gas are paid for with a small voter-approved tax.

Bond measures require a 60% super majority and election turnout must be at least 40% of the last general election to pass.

North Franklin school levy

North Franklin School District is asking voters to pass a two-year, $5 million replacement levy to continue supporting educational programs and operation expenses.

The levy is not a new tax. If passed, it would collect an estimated $1.57 for every $1,000 of assessed value in 2025 and 2026. The cost is estimated to be about $550 for a home valued at $350,000.

About 10% of the school district’s total general fund revenue comes from the levy. About one-third of the total collection pays for the district’s athletics and extracurricular programs, such as drama productions and sports teams.

The levy also supports music and band programs, professional development and training, and technology, and employs librarians, art teachers and counseling and intervention specialists.

Kahlotus school levy

Kahlotus School District, which serves less than 100 K-12 students, will ask voters to pass a two-year operations levy to replace one that’s expiring at the end of the year.

If passed, the measure would raise $280,000 for public education by taxing property owners $1.70 for every $1,000 of assessed value in 2025 and then $1.65 on every $1,000 in 2026. That’s $595 the first year and $577 the second year for a home valued at $350,000.

This levy supports the cost of the community pool, transportation and school support staff and other district needs not funded by the state, according to the school district.

Paterson bond for Prosser High

Paterson School District is asking voters to pass a seven-year, $525,000 bond measure to pay for its portion of construction of the new Prosser High School and athletic facilities.

The new high school, located outside district boundaries at 1500 Paterson Road in Prosser, opened two years ago and serves Paterson high school students.

The cost to taxpayers would be about 13 cents on every $1,000 of assessed valuation in the district. On a home valued at $350,000, the cost would be $45.50 a year, or $3.80 a month.