Property Taxes
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What Did Voters Approve in 2023 & How Does It Shape SoWashCo’s Five-Year Plan?
The Key Takeaway In 2022, SoWashCo voters rejected a $462.7 million facilities proposal. In 2023, they approved a substantially narrower plan: $201.2 million in construction bonds focused on existing schools and a separate ten-year technology levy. The 2023 plan preserved Newport, Crestview, and Pine Hill as elementary schools; eliminated two replacement schools and several support-facility…
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Could an Operating Referendum Be Part of SoWashCo’s Five-Year Plan?
The Key Takeaway SoWashCo Schools has not announced a new operating referendum as of 8/26/26. However, the district’s remaining levy authority makes one a possible component of its five-year financial plan. Available state information suggests voters could authorize approximately $200 to $250 more per adjusted pupil unit, potentially generating about $4.0 million to $5.1 million…
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Operating Levy and Local Optional Revenue – What’s the Difference?
The Key Takeaway SoWashCo Schools already receives the maximum $724 per pupil available through board-authorized Local Optional Revenue. The district also receives approximately $2,098 per pupil through its voter-approved Operating Referendum. Available state data suggests SoWashCo’s Operating Referendum remains approximately $200 to $250 per pupil below the state limit. At the district’s current enrollment, reaching…
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Understanding Local Revenue: Property Taxes, Fees, and Other District Income
The Key Takeaway SoWashCo Schools budgeted $160.3 million in local revenue across all funds for 2026–27. However, that total includes several fundamentally different types of money. Approximately $96.0 million is budgeted in the General Fund, where local revenue supports regular district operations and several legally restricted programs. The remaining local revenue is assigned to other…
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Decoding The School District Budget – Part 1: Where the Money Comes From
The Key Takeaway SoWashCo’s ongoing revenue comes from three sources: School district budgets can be intimidating. SoWashCo’s proposed 2026–27 budget contains hundreds of line items spread across multiple funds, with total revenue of approximately $443.7 million. Understanding where that money comes from (and what restrictions come with it) is the first step toward understanding the…
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What Home Prices Suggest About the Value of SoWashCo Schools
The Key Takeaway In this comparison, identical new homes from the same builder were advertised at prices approximately $60,000 higher in Cottage Grove and $80,000 higher in Woodbury than in Farmington due to something called “Location Value”. Location value includes many factors, and the three communities are not perfect substitutes. Still, the consistent premium in…