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Board hears concern over House Bill 420 and the fate of continuous levies
Summary
Board members and staff discussed House Bill 420, which would phase out continuous levies; staff said most of Riverside’s levies are continuous and flagged potential ballot, litigation and voter-fatigue implications if levies must be resubmitted.
A board member asked the district for its position on House Bill 420, legislation that would phase out continuous property-tax levies.
Staff responded that, with the exception of joint-financing levies, most of Riverside’s levies are continuous and said phasing them out could require multiple items to be placed on the ballot for reauthorization. The presenter raised legal questions about whether continuously authorized levies could be grandfathered and noted that opponents argue voter-approved levies are a form of voted tax that should not be removed without another vote.
The board and staff discussed practical concerns: the financial and staff costs of placing multiple levies on ballots, the risk of voter fatigue from repeated levy requests, and the operational stress of frequent election cycles. Staff said House Bill 420 could force districts to return to the ballot more often and that some view five-year cycles as already burdensome.
No formal position, motion, or direction to the superintendent was recorded; the discussion identified the issue as a concern that staff and trustees will watch as legislation moves forward.
