The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – The Dayton School District is offering tours to help voters understand more about the facilities improvements and technology upgrades the district hopes to make, should the two tax levies on the February special elections ballot pass.

Superintendent Doug Johnson lead an informal tour last weekend and will lead another on Wed., Jan. 20 at 11 a.m. The tour will begin at the district office located at 609 E. Second Street.

Voters are asked to support a four-year $1.46 million M&O levy which will replace the current $1.3 million levy. The estimated 2017 rate for the proposed M&O levy is $2.03/$1,000, one cent higher than the $2.02/$1,000 in 2015 for the current levy.

Voters will also vote on a four-year Capital Projects Levy of $437,500 collected in 2017 and 2018, to be used for facilities improvements including updating the communications system, making roof repairs, and installing exterior doors. The levy would collect $75,000 in 2019 and 2020, to be used for technology upgrades.

Collections for the Capital Projects Levy are estimated to be at the rate of $0.61/$1,000 in 2017, $0.63/$1,000 in 2018, and $0.11/$1,000 in 2019 and 2020.