Support the Renewal of the Local Option Levy
Support the Renewal of the Local Option Levy
The Lake Oswego City Council unanimously supports renewing the school district’s local option levy. Why should the renewal of the local option levy be supported? Here’s why:
1) Our Lake Oswego schools are one of our most highly valued assets and a cornerstone of our community. One of the most important reasons why people move to and stay in our city are our schools. They are, without question, one of the most highly prized assets of our city. Helping to maintain our school’s excellence, helps us all.
2) The high quality of our public schools draws families to Lake Oswego and contributes to our community’s quality of life and high property values. High property values and great schools are a self-reinforcing continuous circle. By helping to maintain great schools we help to maintain a great community. By being a great community we help to maintain great schools.
3) Our citizens have shown repeated support of our schools by approving the initial local option levy in 2000 and renewing the local option levy in 2004 and 2008. This is a long and consistent voice of support for our schools – one of the foundations of our community. We have great teachers, involved and supportive parents, and students ready and willing to make the most of educational opportunities.
4) Loss of the local option levy support will reduce school funding by 10% resulting in larger class sizes and/or fewer classes offered. The local option levy provides approximately $6 million a year (about 10% of the overall total) for school funding. Loss of that funding will either increase class size or decrease class offerings.
5) The city and the school district have a long relationship in sharing resources where possible to provide efficient and cost effective delivery of services that benefit both. Be it the shared use of athletic facilities or the use of other resources, the city and the schools cooperate to provide the best possible value to the citizens.
6) Renewing the local option levy does not increase the tax rate per tax assessed value. Renewing the local option levy leaves the tax rate in place at $1.39 per thousand dollars of tax assessed value. This rate is unchanged since 2004 and will continue at the same rate with renewal.
7) Every dollar that goes into the school district is treated with great care. Whether or not you agree or disagree with any particular dollars spent, the school district exhibits about doing the right thing with the taxpayer’s money.
We, your city council representatives, unanimously support renewing the local option levy to keep Lake Oswego strong.
