The levy increase on the ballot is completely unreasonable. If your home is worth $200,000 (which is below the average home price in Olympia) you could be paying an addition of $454 annually! They received a requested levy increase only 2 years ago!!! This current levy is just for maintenance and operations.

They are also seeking another levy for Technology which could cost the owner of a $200,000 home as much as $92. This would mean a total increase of your taxes of $546!!! I can’t afford to pay an additional $546 per year in property taxes. That money could be spent to stimulate the economy during this recession.

There are many reasons for not passing these levies:

First, the amount of the cost to the home owners is astronomical. An increase of over $500 (about average) per home is simply beyond reason.

Secondly, I do not believe the money will actually go to programs which will assist learning. The North Thurston Schools web site has not indicated any specific information on the projected use of this money.