Nine Mile Falls School District seeks voter approval on two levies in November

SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Voters in the Nine Mile Falls School District will decide on two levies this November that will determine funding for educational programs and facility improvements.

The first is a replacement levy for educational programs and operations. The rate would decrease from about $2.30 to $2.10 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The second levy is new and would fund capital projects, including safety improvements and maintenance, at 38 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

For a homeowner with a $550,000 house, both levies combined would cost more than $1,300 annually — approximately $100 less than what property owners currently pay for schools as an existing bond expires.

As people face higher costs, the Nine Mile Falls School District says it’s trying to keep its expenses to a minimum. The replacement levy would continue funding teachers, extracurriculars, technology and support staff.

“It is 17% of our budget, and so, I kind of call it our lifeblood, right?” said Jeff Baerwald, superintendent of the Nine Mile Falls School District. “Without this, what we’re able to provide for our community’s kids looks a lot different.”

The capital projects levy would primarily pay for improvements at the high school, including upgrading security cameras, repairing the aging roof and replacing a condemned portable classroom.

The district attempted to pass a capital levy in the spring at a rate of 58 cents per $1,000, but voters rejected it. This time, the district lowered the rate and narrowed the scope. Unlike the previous proposal, this levy will not cover athletic facility improvements, including the high school’s aging track, which the district expects to last only another two years.

The district also lowered the rate this election cycle because it reduced staff through attrition.

“I understand taxes are no fun. I live here too, and so I get it, and I want to truly respect our taxpayers,” Baerwald said. “And that’s why we have worked really hard to say ‘Hey, can we bring this rate down, and actually not increase and keep it at a flat rate and hopefully save people a few pennies?'”

If approved, the lower educational programs and operations levy rate would start in 2028 and continue for three years. The new capital levy would take effect in 2027 and last for six years.