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Board warns of deep cuts if replacement levies fail; schedules outreach and town halls
Summary
Richland School District leaders warned that failure of replacement operations and technology levies could force cuts up to $30 million, eliminate many extracurricular programs and reduce staffing; the board outlined town-hall outreach, clarified levy mechanics and urged community engagement ahead of the Feb. 10 vote.
District leaders and board members spent the largest portion of the meeting explaining the stakes of two replacement levies on the Feb. 10 ballot and outlining planned outreach.
Board members and administrators described the levy as a replacement of existing local revenue, not a new tax for rebuilding fund balance. A board speaker said the levy funds cover programs the district already offers and warned that a double levy failure would be “catastrophic,” potentially requiring elimination of up to $30,000,000 from the budget and the loss of elective classes, many CTE opportunities and extracurricular activities.
Board members highlighted the role of unfunded state mandates in budget pressure, listing examples discussed at the meeting: special education supplements, substitute costs, payroll benefits, extracurricular subsidies, and staffing above the state's prototypical allocation. A board speaker provided a local homeowner example: roughly $300 a year for a $450,000 home under the proposed levy, characterized as “less than a dollar a day” and framed against the programs that could be lost.
Levy mechanics and timing were explained: the levy on the ballot is a replacement levy that would continue funding currently budgeted services; the current levy expires in 2026. The board noted the election date (Feb. 10, 2026) and the certification timeline; if the levy fails twice in one year, the district cannot run the levy again until the following year and would have to implement cuts for the coming school year.
To inform voters, the board plans town-hall meetings, targeted outreach with community groups (Kiwanis, Rotary, PTAs) and informational flyers and online materials. Board members encouraged students who will be 18 by February to register and vote. They also invited constituents to contact board members directly with questions about levy impacts and to request board presentations at neighborhood meetings.
There were no formal motions associated with the levy discussion during this item; the board authorized staff to continue outreach and to refine communications materials for community distribution.
