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White Salmon Schools
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I would like to sincerely thank the voters within the White Salmon Valley School District for supporting the replacement Maintenance and Operations Levy held on February 3, 2004. Your overwhelming support demonstrates your confidence in our school system. In an era where schools must receive a supermajority of 60% to pass a levy or bond, receiving support of almost 70% monumentally demonstrates your commitment to your school system; thank you very much! The final tally for this election was 1,078 yes votes and 474 no votes for a total of 1,552 total votes cast. This equates to 69.5% voting in favor of this maintenance and operations levy. Thank you very much! As you may recall, the levy was for $1,425,000 each year for two years (2005 and 2006). The levy was increased from the prior levy by $185,000. The increase is to cover costs of inflation, a portion to cover part of our after-school programs, and a small amount for 1.5 certificated staff above what the state funds for teachers. As I have stated many times before, due to enrollment declines within the school district, we must still reduce staff. Even with the passage of this replacement levy, the school district will reduce staff by around $320,000 for the 2004-05 school year in order to balance the budget. We will continue to be fiscally responsible with the school district's budget. This means we must maintain staffing levels consistent with state funding based upon student enrollment. Earlier in the school year I stated that reductions of staff would be between $370,000 and $425,000. As a result of prudence on the part of the White Salmon Valley School District Board of Directors, the staffing cuts next fall will be slightly less than projected. As of January 1, 2004, budgets within the school district were reduced slightly. By reducing budgets half way through the school year, and saving around $50,000, fewer staffing cuts will be necessary next school year. This was a very good decision by the school board. These cuts make the budget extremely tight for the remainder of this school year, buts cuts to staffing much less for next year. Again, thank you for supporting schools!-March, 2004 |
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White
Salmon Valley SchoolDistrict 405-17
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Levy Passes, Thanks to You! 
