The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

PRESCOTT - The Prescott School District is seeking approval of a $615,000 per year main­tenance and operations levy for the 2014-2015 and 20015-2016 school years. The levy, on ballots mailed out Monday, replaces the current $585,000 per year levy. Though the overall levy amount is higher, ris­ing district property values result in a decrease in the estimated cost per $1,000. The current proposed levy is estimated $2.33 per $1,000 -- per a 01/01/2013 estimate from the Walla Walla County Assessor -- as opposed to the prior levy of $2.39 per $1,000.

Levy funds are used to fund programs not funded by the State under the Basic Education Act. Prescott an­ticipates spending $35,000 on technology (equipment upgrades, software, staffing and training), $30,000 on new curriculum, $50,644 to supplement the partial­ly funded food services program, $205,442 toward extra-curricular programs (athletics, special academ­ic programs, activity bus, transportation costs, athletic director, etc.), $137,066 for building and grounds main­tenance and $156,848 to­wards non-employee related costs such as heating fuel, insurance, and utilities.

Superintendent Brett Cox said that Prescott has his­torically passed its levies -- aside from one failure in 2006 -- with approval votes in the mid- 60 percent range. "We need 50% plus one vote to pass," he said. "I encour­age everyone to get out and vote."