Vote Yes for Schools by renewing the Federal Way Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy! Approving this levy means keeping existing school support staff including nurses, paraeducators, counselors, and athletics and educational programs in our schools. This is not a new tax. Since 1980, Federal Way voters have maintained this levy to fund student programs and essential school staff.

The EP&O levy enriches state funding and provides 8 percent of the overall district budget, funding more than 200 staff members who help students engage. This includes special education and English Language Learner services, athletics, security, music and after school programs. Even with the proposed increase in the EP&O levy due to the expected loss in State funding, FWPS has reflected strong financial stewardship by offering a combination of propositions maintaining collection rates. 
 

FWPS delivers the best educational environment with historically and substantially less State funding while striving to maintain or lower the total tax burden on local voters.   Being a good steward is also reflected in results – such as the highest graduation rates in the region for the classes of 2017-2020 and 88% of students successfully completing four-year degrees.   

Join your neighbors in voting Yes to support our students!

Submitted by: Gregory Baruso, citizensforfwschools.org

These cap levy items should come out of the General Fund. If salaries were not so bloated this would be possible.

These levies should be rejected. There should be no tax measures whatsoever on the ballot in February. February is the lowest voter turnout election of the year. Understandably. Most citizens are just learning that there are levies to vote on - again. We just had the holidays. Citizens have voting fatigue. And, importantly, citizens won't even receive their property tax bills for the year until a month later in March. How convenient.

In the interest of high voter participation, these important, large tax measures (which affect all property owners and renters in their rents) should be only on the November Election. It is irresponsible for the district to propose property tax measures a month before voters see their property tax bills.

The state will never be able to fulfill its constitutional obligation of fully-funding schools so long as local districts are allowed to spend more than the ample provision the state provides. Until that changes, citizens need to reject these local levies like the ones before you today. More details at www.schooldataproject.com

Submitted by: Jeff Heckathorn, info@schooldataproject.com

Federal Way Public Schools has consistently maintained their promise to keep tax rates as low as possible and collect only what they need. FWPS maintained EP&O tax rates in the $1.50 (per $1,000 of AV) range post-McCleary and collected $19.7 million Less than the voters authorized  from the 2018 EP&O levy. Additionally, the salary information listed in the con statement is inaccurate - no FWPS employee makes anywhere near $500,000 a year. Vote Yes!

Submitted by: Gregory Baruso, citizensforfwschools.org

In 2019-2020, per pupil expenditures (including capital outlays and interest on debt) for the district were already at $17,905. That's above tuition and books at many universities let alone most private K-12 schools.

In 2018, because of the McCleary Decision, state legislators pumped billions more dollars into our public schools, largely from increased property taxes. There is no amount of money monopoly school districts will be satisfied with. Citizens are crying uncle. Enough!

Submitted by: Jeff Heckathorn, info@schooldataproject.com

Download the full text of the resolution

Simple majority (Wash. Const. art. VII, sec. 2(a))

For questions about this measure, contact: Ashley Murphy, CFO, (253) 397-0931, ashmurphy@fwps.org