Nine Mile Falls voters face two school levies

Nine Mile Falls School District residents will vote in November on two property-tax levies. One would renew support for school operations and educational programs; the other would create funding for capital work, including building safety and upkeep.

The replacement levy would set the rate at about $2.10 per $1,000 of assessed value, down from roughly $2.30. It would continue paying for teachers, extracurricular activities, technology and support employees. The new capital levy would charge 38 cents per $1,000 and focus mainly on high school needs: better security cameras, roof repairs and removal of a condemned portable classroom.

For a homeowner whose property is valued at $550,000, the combined annual cost would exceed $1,300—about $100 below current school-related payments as an existing bond ends. The district reduced the capital rate from a rejected spring proposal of 58 cents and removed athletic projects, including work on the high school track, which officials say has about two years of useful life left. If voters approve them, the capital levy would begin in 2027 for six years, while the lower operations rate would begin in 2028 for three years.