La Conner council backs school district’s four-year educational levy after district presentation

La Conner Mayor and Town Council voted to adopt a resolution supporting the La Conner School District’s four-year Educational Programs and Operations (EPO) levy, which the district has scheduled for the Feb. 11, 2025 ballot.

The measure would replace the district’s expiring levy and begin collections in 2026; Dave Grama, superintendent of the La Conner School District, told the council the levy is intended to preserve extracurricular programs, safety and special-education services while keeping the district’s per-thousand tax rate near its current level.

Grama described the district’s recent fiscal turnaround and why the levy is needed. He said the district entered “binding conditions” oversight by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction after projecting a negative ending fund balance during a budget extension two years ago, but, he said, the district completed a two-year recovery plan and ended the most recent fiscal year with roughly $1.1 million in its fund balance. Grama said the…