Property tax relief for more affordable school levies
SEE helped secure millions of state funding, known as equalization, to reduce the cost of voter-approved school levies in primarily residential school districts and provide property tax relief for local taxpayers. All communities value their local schools and must have access to affordable levy revenue so their students can have the same educational opportunities seen in high-wealth school districts.
SEE Actions Paved the Way for More Affordable School Levies
Over the past several decades, SEE has worked tirelessly to keep the issue of property tax fairness before the Legislature and has met with considerable success at many junctures. Included in these efforts are:
- SEE Executive Director Brad Lundell has worked with legislators and legislative staff to develop numerous bills addressing this crucial issue. He has worked with members of both caucuses to make sure the issue has bipartisan support. This has led to increases in referendum equalization in 2013 and 2019 and the indexing of the debt service equalization program in 2016.
- SEE created simplified information to educate, engage, and empower education advocates, including superintendents, school board members, parents, and business leaders.
- Community Liaison Deb Griffiths has hosted SEE days at the Capitol. Armed with SEE information, education advocates meet face to face with their local legislators in the most effective form of communication.
- Senate Tax Committee Chair Roger Chamberlain asked Griffiths to participate in a video to promote and garner support for equalization, which is state funding to lower the cost of school levies.
