Safety & Infrastructure Levy

After voters twice rejected capital levy renewals in 2022, the district scaled back and reprioritized our existing projects. 

But safety and infrastructure needs across the district don't stop.

With funds from the previous capital levy now running out, the district will soon be forced to dip further into the General Fund to cover essential repairs and improvements. 

That means fewer dollars available for classrooms, students, and other core educational needs.

Unlike the EP&O levy voters renewed two years ago that funds staff to serve and educate our students, this levy funds about 10 major projects at each school building. Please see the interactive and searchable information below to see the proposed projects!

This levy will appear on the February 10 ballot. If approved, collection would begin in 2027 and continue through 2030.

• Projects funded by this levy
• WHAT DOES THE LEVY COST?
• HOW DO WE COMPARE?
• ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WE'RE HEARING ABOUT THE LEVY
• LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LEVY
• Property Tax Exemption

Weekly levy messages

Week 1: Why this Safety & Infrastructure Levy matters

Week 2: What will this Safety & Infrastructure Levy cost?

Week 3: How do we compare?

Week 4: Answering common levy questions

What Does the Levy Cost?

This proposed levy is structured to keep the overall school tax rate as flat as possible — at an estimated $2.60 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Voters have consistently said maintaining a stable rate is a priority. It would provide essential funding for facility needs without creating sudden spikes in the tax rate.

This proposed four-year levy is structured to flex each year to keep the overall school tax rate as annually flat as possible — illustrated in the bar graph above. 

Property owners can calculate their cost from this levy by using the estimated rate per $1,000 of assessed property value.

For example, for every $100,000 of assessed home value, the estimated annual cost would be:

To estimate your household’s cost, multiply the “per $100,000” amount by your home’s assessed value.

Example: For a home assessed at $500,000, the 2029 cost would be about $200 for the year — or roughly $17 per month.

Reminder that the district may only collect the dollar amount approved by voters as indicated on the ballot — not a specific rate — which is why we estimate the rate.

For this levy, the district is asking voters to approve the following amounts: $2,400,000 in 2027, $6,700,000 in 2028, $5,200,000 in 2029, and $4,900,000 in 2030.

If a property-owner's assessed property valuation goes up or down, the rate will adjust to ensure the total dollar amount the district can collect will not change from what voters approved. For example, if property value increases the tax rate decreases so that the district collects the approved amount.

How do we compare?

Right now, Stanwood-Camano School District’s total local school tax rate is $2.20 per $1,000 of assessed property value. That places us on the lower end compared to other Snohomish County districts, according to 2025 data.

If voters approve the proposed levy, our rate would rise to an estimated $2.60. That would likely place us somewhere in the middle compared to neighboring districts. However, it’s important to note that every district’s rate can change from year to year depending on local voter approvals, levy amounts, and changes in property values.

Because of this, we can’t say exactly where we’ll rank in the future — only that our district’s estimated rate would likely land somewhere in the middle when compared to other regional school districts.

Answers to questions we're hearing about the levy

Why is the district proposing this levy now?

Many of our school buildings and systems are simply wearing out. The proposed levy would fund essential repairs and improvements such as:

• Replacing aging roofs
• Upgrading outdated fire alarm and intercom systems
• Improving classroom lighting and HVAC controls for energy efficiency
• Repairing playgrounds, sidewalks, and parking lots
• Repainting and replacing flooring and windows
• Updating network firewalls and safety cameras

These are not large-scale construction projects — they are the everyday repairs and upgrades that protect what our community has already built and keep our schools safe for students and staff.

Doesn’t the state pay for building maintenance?

No. The state does not fund routine building upkeep, repairs, or small capital projects. Without this local levy, the district would have to use General Fund dollars that are meant for classroom instruction, staffing, and student learning — stretching those limited resources even thinner.

How is this levy different from the Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy voters approved two years ago?

The EP&O levy that voters renewed in 2024 pays for the people and programs that support students every day — things like teachers, paraeducators, counselors, safety staff, extracurricular activities, and classroom materials. Those funds go toward operating our schools.

The Safety and Infrastructure Levy, on the other hand, would pay for physical improvements to our buildings and grounds — things like roofs, fire alarms, lighting, playground repairs, and safety upgrades. These funds can only be used for facilities, equipment, and technology infrastructure — not salaries or classroom programs.

In short:

• EP&O = People and programs
• Safety & Infrastructure = Buildings and systems

Both are essential to running safe, high-quality schools, but they fund different needs, as required by state law.

What makes this levy different from previous proposals?

We listened carefully to community feedback gathered through the district’s community surveys and conversations over the past year. The message was clear: “Keep it focused. Keep it practical. Keep it about kids.”

Previous capital levy proposals included broader technology purchases and new program elements. This levy focuses only on essential safety and infrastructure projects — the foundational work needed to protect our existing investments and ensure safe learning environments.

My property value keeps increasing, doesn't that mean the district gets more money each year?

No. The district may only collect the dollar amount approved by voters as indicated on the ballot. Changes in assessed valuation within the district does not affect the levy amounts.

Why does the district need local levy support when the state and federal government fund schools?

State and federal dollars are essential, but they don’t cover the full cost of running or maintaining a school district. In Washington, the state funds what it defines as “basic education,” which includes staff, transportation, curriculum, and the core day-to-day operations of a district. It does not fully fund routine building upkeep, safety upgrades, technology infrastructure, or the repairs that aging schools require over time.

That means every district in our region relies on local voter-approved levies to take care of the buildings and systems our students use every day. For example, the EP&O levy voters re-approved two years ago pays for staff for things like athletics, nurses, and safety personnel that the state does fully fund. Without this levy, the district would have to shift more General Fund dollars away from classroom instruction and student support to pay for essential repairs.

If the state increased school funding after McCleary, why is a local levy still necessary?

Washington’s post-McCleary funding changes improved support for classroom staffing, but they didn’t address the long-term maintenance needs of school facilities. Roofs, fire alarms, HVAC controls, and safety cameras are not funded through the state’s definition of basic education. Those needs grow as buildings age, and districts must take care of them in order to keep schools safe and functional.

Local capital levies fill this gap by funding the repairs and upgrades the state does not pay for. These funds are legally restricted and can only be used for facilities, equipment, or technology infrastructure — not salaries or programs.

Why are local taxpayers asked to support levies so often?

School districts can only collect the specific dollar amount voters approve. As costs rise for materials, labor, safety requirements, and technology, the funding approved in previous years no longer stretches as far — especially when buildings are aging. Unlike the state, districts cannot raise additional revenue on their own; they must ask voters for permission when essential repairs outpace what previous levies provided.

Local support is what allows districts to maintain the schools the community has already invested in, so that students and staff continue to learn and work in safe, reliable spaces without reducing classroom resources.

How can these levy funds be used?

Levy dollars would go into the district’s Capital Projects Fund and may only be used for:

• Facility and infrastructure improvements
• Safety-related upgrades
• Equipment and technology replacements
• Other capital improvements as allowed by law
   

Have a question you want answered?

Email us at SCSDinfo@stanwood.wednet.edu

Learn more about the levy

Our district is hosting a series of open houses to share information and answer questions about the upcoming Safety & Infrastructure Levy.

These events are a chance for families, staff, and community members to:

• Learn more about what the levy would fund
• Explore how it impacts school safety and facilities
• Ask questions and provide feedback

We hope you’ll join us or watch us at one of these public events:

Note: Time and date subject to change. Many of these events will also be recorded for the public to watch at their convenience.

• 5:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 22 — Stanwood Camano Kiwanis at Stillguamish Grange Hall
   
• 9:30-10:30 a.m. Nov. 18 — Warm Beach Senior Community's Beachwood Lounge
   
• 11:45 a.m. Nov. 19 — Stanwood-Camano Rotary
   
• 5:30 p.m. Jan. 8 — General presentation open to the public at Camano Island Library
   
• 5:30 p.m. Jan. 13 — General presentation open to the public at SCAF (26911 98th Dr NW Suite A, Stanwood, WA)
   
• Noon Jan. 16 — Online video conversation posted on district social channels about the levy with Stanwood Elementary Principal Staci Lauinger and Superintendent Ryan Ovenell about elementary projects funded by the levy. Watch it here: https://youtube.com/live/-mb5gRjWZHo
   
• 2:30 p.m. Jan. 20 — Interactive, online livestream interview with Stanwood-Camano News on the newspaper's Instagram channel
   
• 8:30 a.m. Jan. 21 — Interactive, online livestream interview with Citizens for a Better Stanwood-Camano School Board on the group's public Facebook page
   
• Noon Jan. 23 — Online video conversation posted on district social channels about the levy with Port Susan Middle School Principal Cherae Almanza and Superintendent Ryan Ovenell about middle school and high school projects funded by the levy. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/rtfdBO8eSOI
   
• Noon Jan. 26 — Online video conversation posted on district social channels) about the levy with District Maintenance Manager Kevin Cruise and Superintendent Ryan Ovenell about general maintenance projects funded by the levy

To schedule an in-person presentation for your group or organization, please email Stacey Hoffman at shoffman@stanwood.wednet.edu 

Download our printable fliers

Simple one-pager

Detailed two-pager

Senior & Disability Property Tax Exemption

If you’re 61 or older or living with a disability, you may qualify for a property tax exemption that reduces or removes some local taxes — including school levies — on your primary home.

Both the Snohomish County and Island County assessors report that many homeowners qualify but haven’t applied.

Even if you think your income is too high, it’s worth checking — recent changes in income, retirement, or medical expenses can make you eligible. The exemption lasts all year once approved and does not need to be repaid.

Learn more on our Property Tax Exemption explainer page.

Don’t leave money on the table — apply today.

LEVY PRO/CON STATEMENT COMMITTEES

Stanwood-Camano School District is seeking applications from citizens interested in being appointed to committees to write pro/con statements for the Snohomish County and Island County voters’ pamphlets. The Stanwood-Camano School District will have one measure on the ballot to be considered in the February 10, 2026, Special Election. The measure relates to a Safety and Infrastructure levy.

Those interested should send their name, address, phone number, email address, and which position they represent to: Stanwood-Camano School District Communications, 26920 Pioneer Highway, Stanwood, WA 98929 or via email at: scsdinfo@stanwood.wednet.edu by 12 p.m. November 18, 2025. The School Board will take action on the appointments at its December 2, 2025, regular board meeting.

If no volunteers step forward for a pro/con committee by the district’s application deadline, we will notify the Snohomish County Auditor that no committee was appointed. After that point, the county may continue seeking volunteers directly and may accept individuals who contact the Auditor’s Office after our deadline has passed.

If the county is unable to recruit volunteers, the voters’ pamphlet will simply list “No pro/con committee was appointed.” This is a standard part of the process and does not affect the placement of the measure on the ballot.

Posted per RCW 29A.32.280