(The Center Square) – The Moses Lake School Board voted unanimously Thursday to endorse an upcoming levy after the past two failed, leaving the district’s finances in shambles and hundreds without jobs.
The board voted last month to proceed with an educational programs and operations levy this February. The Moses Lake School District asked voters to approve two in February and April, but both failed, which led to an external review identifying a shortfall of over $20 million.
More than half was due to an accounting error. A district official mistakenly doubled an $11 million accrual, leading others to believe they had far more than in reality. One resident testified Thursday, calling out prior board members and administrators for their “willful negligence and indifference.”
The process took months to resolve, with over 250 positions eliminated from May to July. Less than a week after deciding to push this levy, the board issued a Nov. 12 news release stating that the district would not undergo a forensic audit before the February vote.
“As a board, we are committed to ensuring our students have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive, School Board Chair Kirryn Jensen wrote in a news release following Thursday’s meeting. “This levy plays a critical role in sustaining the quality of education we provide.”
If approved, the proposed levy would tax $1.50 per every $1,000 of assessed property value, a little over $366 annually for those with a 2022 median value of $244,500. That success would also lead to over $23.5 million in local funding retained by the state’s general fund.
That money is called Local Effort Assistance, or LEA funds, which the state collects through local taxes. However, when a levy fails, like in February and April, the state keeps the revenue in its general fund, causing MLSD to miss out on roughly $6 million in LEA funding across 2025.
Public Relations Director Ryan Shannon told The Center Square that if voters approve MLSD’s upcoming levy, the collection will start around May 2026, so they won’t receive LEA funding until then.
According to MLSD’s website, out of 295 districts around the state, it’s only one of two without a levy for next year. The district collected $1.69 per every $1,000 of assessed value this year, 19 cents less than it would collect in 2026 if the new one is approved.
Another failure would lead to personnel reductions equal to at least $2 million in value and $3.1 million in other cuts to extracurriculars, athletics, specialist course offerings, facilities usage, classroom supplies, technology, security and more.
“Endorsing this levy is not just about maintaining programs and staffing,” Jensen wrote, “it’s about affirming our dedication to the future of our schools and our community.”
Voters will decide on the upcoming levy during the Feb. 11 election.
