PD-17-00001 Marian Meadows Full Record with Index (2)

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Marian Meadows Rezone and Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Statement 3-136 In general, in order to qualify for state funding a district must have an existing deficiency. In rapidly growing communities, it generally means that schools must be overcrowded and be using portable classrooms for a substantial number of students before the state will provide funding. Because availability of state match funds has not kept pace with the rapid enrollment growth occurring in many of Washington’s school districts, matching funds from the state may not be received by a school district until after a school has been constructed. In such cases, the district must “front fund” a project. That is, the district must finance the complete project with local funds (the future state’s share coming from funds allocated to future district projects). When the state share is finally disbursed (without accounting for escalation), the future district project is partially reimbursed (OSPI 2008b). School districts can collect two types of local property tax levies for capital facilities:  Capital Project – These levies must be used for school facilities and other capital purposes. Levies can be for 1 to 6 years.  Debt Service (also called “bond levies”) – Voter approval of the levy allows a district to issue bonds (borrow money) and collect property taxes to repay principal and interest over the life of the bond (typically 20 to 30 years). Levies must be used to purchase land and build or renovate school buildings. Local funds must be used for the entire cost of the following items because they are not eligible for the state match (OSPI 2008a):  Acquisition cost of the site.  Area in excess of the space allocations provided in WAC 392-343-035.  All costs associated with the purchase, installation, or relocation of portable classrooms.  Alterations, repair, or demolitions (except alterations necessary to connect new construction to an existing building).  Costs incidental to advertising for bids, site surveys, soil testing for site purchase, or costs other than those connected directly with construction of facilities.  Bus garages, except interdistrict cooperatives.  Central administration buildings.  Stadia/grandstands. Impacts on Transportation Transportation costs are also related to facility decisions. Development of a single school campus for the district would require all students from the site to be bused. Development of schools closer to the site might allow some students to walk. For Alternative 1, the student population could vary from about 260 students with all full-time residents to about 80 students with half the units occupied by seasonal