School district tax measures can be confusing as they don’t appear on a ballot every year. This page helps to lessen the confusion. If you have specific questions or need further clarification you can send us a message by clicking on Contact Us . This site is owned and maintained by Longview Citizens for Quality Schools and is not a part of the Longview School District. However, feel free to contact the Longview School District if you have any questions about the upcoming levy.
I thought the state now provides the funds for local schools
- The state does pay a base amount based on what is called a ‘prototypical’ model when it comes to staffing. This levy is not associated with staffing needs. Is is associated with facility and technology needs. Each of the 295 school districts in our state has needs beyond what the the state provides.
- Public schools are one of the few tax funded entities that voters can vote directly on measures we pay taxes for. Cities, counties, special district like ports and others set tax rates by their governing boards.
I thought we just voted on a school measure?
There are two types of levies. This is the Education Opportunity and Operations levy that is a bridge to cover the gap between what the state provides and what local districts actually need. The other levy is a Capital and Technology levy, again a gap levy to provide for facilities and technology the state does not provide. Longview School District voters approved that levy with about a 54% approval in 2022.
What is my investment?
- A levy is for a specific dollar amount and the rate per $1000 of assessed value is computed based on that dollar amount. This will be a request for a levy over a period of four years. The chart below shows the approximate rate per $1000 of your assessed value of your property. The school board set the levy amount based on our absolute needs to close the gap from what the state allocation is to what the needs of the district to support the vital programs in place.
- The figures on your tax statement for schools includes what the state levies, what the local school district levies for Educational Programs and Services Levies,
- See the information in the latest Cowlitz County Voter’s Pamphlet.
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| Collection Years |
Approximate rate/$1,000 Assessed Value |
Levy Amount |
| 2025 |
$ 1.94 |
$ 16,487,841 |
| 2026 |
$ 1.91 |
$ 16,982,477 |
| 2027 |
$ 1.87 |
$ 17,491,951 |
| 2028 |
$ 1.83 |
$ 18,016,709 |
What about the emergency funds the district is eligible for?
Longview did qualify for one time Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER) that have to be used by August 2024. The amount a district is eligible for based on a percent of low income students enrolled. Those funds came with very specific uses of the funds that they can be spent for. his levy, as well as the ESSER funds still do not address the list of needs. The funds must be expended by August 31, 2023. It isn’t ‘cash in the bank, as district needs to apply for reimbursement after they are used for appropriate needs.
