West Seattle school board approves resolution to convert two emergency levies into one continuing substitute levy

At a special meeting, the West Seattle Local School District Board of Education approved a resolution of necessity to convert two emergency property-tax levies into a single continuing substitute levy, a move district staff said is intended to preserve an existing property-tax rollback for local homeowners.

District staff explained the substitute levy would collect “the same amount, the sum amount. Right. 6,000,000 around 6 a little over $6,000,000.” That revenue, staff said, represents roughly 10%–12% of the district’s tax bill for those levies and about 15% of the district’s total operating revenue.

Board members and staff discussed options for converting the two emergency levies — originally approved in 2003 and 2005 — into a continuing substitute levy rather than a time-limited substitute of up to 10 years. A district staff member told the board: “It'll move into 1 substitute levy.” Board members said…