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• Furthermore, if another school is required there would be on-going costs for additional <br />teaching, paraprofessional, secretarial, janitorial, transportation, and cafeteria staff. <br />• While there will be an increase in the assessed valuation of the district if the development <br />goes through, the additional expenses, particularly if an additional school is needed will <br />far outweigh any benefit from an increased tax base. <br />• These on-going costs will not be absorbed by the developers. Rather, our local <br />community will bear the burden of any unfunded capital costs and any additional on- <br />going operational costs through their local levies. <br />• Currently, Easton School has the lowest rate per $1,000 of assessed valuation for their <br />local school levies in Kittitas County and is a much more reasonable rate than most <br />school districts in the State of Washington. <br />• Out of 295 school districts in the State of Washington, Easton School District is listed at <br />261 for their rate per $1,000 of assessed valuation for their local school levies. In other <br />words, there are 260 school districts (out of 295) in the state that have higher rates per <br />$1,000 of assessed valuation than Easton School District for their local levies. <br />• However, this low tax rate for our local school taxes that we have worked so hard to <br />preserve could be at risk if we have a swiftly rising student population, which can put our <br />small school state funding at risk, and the additional expenditures will far exceed any <br />additional revenues. <br />• As I mentioned previously, this puts the burden of unfunded capital costs and any <br />increases of on-going operational expenditures directly onto our local taxpayers. <br />• Community support is critical to Easton School District. This increased tax burden on <br />our local community can put our unique, small, rural school at risk because we are <br />dependent upon our local community to support our school levies and bonds. <br />I appreciate the opportunity to speak this evening. Thank you for listening to my concerns. <br />Sincerely, <br />Patrick Dehuff, Ed.D. <br />Easton School District Superintendent <br />