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School districts adjust to McCleary Fix

by RACHAL PINKERTON
Staff Writer | July 1, 2020 11:36 PM

SOUTH COUNTY — State legislators passed the McCleary Fix last February, a bill that limits the amount of money school districts can ask for at levy time.

The passage caused local school districts to wonder how to pay for student services, and many districts began making cuts in preparation for the bill to take effect this fall.

Previously, the levy rate cap was set at $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value; however, the cap has since been raised to $2.50 per $1,000 of value.

This change affected local districts in different ways.

Royal School District was going to have its levy cut by $0.27 per $1,000 of assessed value, a relatively small amount but one that would decrease revenue by approximately $200,000 to $300,000.

Wahluke School District was affected more substantially. Then-Superintendent Bob Eckert said that the district’s levy was close to $3 per $1,000 of assessed property value and the district would be losing almost half of its levy funding.

Superintendents for the Warden, Othello and Royal school districts recently said their districts will not be impacted by the McCleary Fix. Wahluke School District Interim Superintendent Andy Harlow said his district is being affected some by the bill, but not as much as anticipated.