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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2077 RESOLUTION NO. 2077 A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, expressing support for Kent School District Proposition 1, which will appear on the November 5, 2024, ballot, wherein voters will be asked to approve an excess property tax levy to support the renovation, expansion and improvement of school facilities, and for safety and technology improvements to meet the current and future needs of Kent School District students. RECITALS A. RCW 84.52.053 authorizes a school district to submit to the voters a property tax levy for capital projects and technology funding. These levies may last for terms of up to six years to support construction, modernization, and remodeling of school district facilities. As a result of the structure of funding public schools in Washington, almost al[ school districts in the state of Washington rely on an excess property tax levy for a portion of their funding. B. The Kent School District ("KSD") currently collects funding through a voter-approved levy in support of capital projects and technology that will expire in 2024. This existing levy provides funding for KSD's facility and educational needs, including deferred maintenance and capital improvements and repairs, as well as technology infrastructure, devices, equipment software, subscriptions, training, administrative, operational, and staffing costs related to the implementation of the same. 1 Resolution in Support of Kent School District Proposition 1 I C. The KSD Board of Directors has determined that the KSD's educational facilities and support buildings require repair, modernization, improvement, and expansion to meet current and future safety, security, instruction, classroom, support services and technology needs of its students. However, with expiration of the current levy in 2024, the KSD will have insufficient funding to implement these needed projects. D. On July 10, 2024, the KSD Board of Directors adopted Resolution No. 1680, which calls for the placement of a ballot measure on the November 5, 2024, ballot which will ask voters to establish a three-year replacement levy to allow the District to provide adequately for student safety, security, instruction, classroom and support services, and technology needs. The ballot measure is referred to as Proposition 1. E. In accordance with RCW 42.17A.555, city councils are authorized to vote on a resolution to support or oppose a ballot measure so long as the action is taken at a public meeting, the notice of the meeting includes the title and number of the ballot proposition, and councilmembers and meeting attendees are afforded an equal opportunity to express an opposing view. F. The City Council supports the KSD in its efforts to provide quality public education to the community. Among other benefits, a quality education reduces unemployment, reduces reliance on public assistance, plays a key role in the reduction of crime, improves public health, and improves equality within the community. The availability of quality education is also one of the most important factors in determining the desirability of a community as a place to live or operate a business. G. The City Council recognizes that the approval of Proposition 1 is necessary to properly fund a quality education in the KSD and will help maintain Kent as a quality place to live and work. Therefore, it is appropriate 2 Resolution in Support of Kent School District Proposition 1 for the City Council to support Proposition 1 as submitted by the KSD, and the City Council urges voters to vote "Yes" on Proposition 1. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT, WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: RESOLUTION SECTION 1. - Support for Proposition 1. The City Council endorses KSD Proposition 1, which will be submitted to the voters on the November 5, 2024, ballot, and urges Kent voters to vote "Yes" on the measure. The Proposition 1 ballot title and statement are as follows: Proposition No. 1 Kent School District No. 415 Capital Projects and Technology Levy The Board of Directors of the Kent School District No. 415 adopted Resolution 1680 concerning a proposition for a replacement capital projects and technology levy. If approved, this proposition would authorize the District to levy the following excess taxes on all taxable property within the District, to provide funding for capital projects for student safety, security, instruction, classroom and support services, and technology needs. Approximate Levy Rate/$1,000 Collection Year Assessed Value Levy Amount 2025 $0.72 $32,200,000 2026 $0.70 $32,500,000 2027 $0.68 $33,000,000 Should this proposition be approved? YES . . . . . . . . L NO. . . . . . . . . L 3 Resolution in Support of Kent School District Proposition 1 SECTION 2. - SeverabilitY. If any one or more section, subsection, or sentence of this resolution is held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this resolution and the same shall remain in full force and effect. SECTION 3. - Ratification. Any act consistent with the authority and prior to the effective date of this resolution is hereby ratified and affirmed. SECTION 4. - Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its passage. '—Daj-�n.7aAz—,.� September 17, 2024 DANA RALPH, MAYOR Date Approved ATTEST: Q• September 17, 2024 KIMBERLEY . KOMOTO, CITY C ERK Date Adopted APP VED AS TO FORM: TA Y IT , CITY ATTORNEY { pp 4 i+ . I 0•MJ �s 1T TS. 4+, '1" "° n.•9!' a!• �' 4 Resolution in Support of Kent School District Proposition 1 KENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.415 KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON CAPITAL PROJECTS AND TECHNOLOGY REPLACEMENT LEVY RESOLUTION NO. 1680 A RESOLUTION of the Board of Directors of Kent School District No. 415,King County,Washington,providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the District at a special election to be held therein on November 5, 2024, of the proposition of whether excess taxes should be levied of $32,200,000 in 2024 for collection in 2025, $32,600,000 in 2025 for collection in 2026,and$33,000,000 in 2026 for collection in 2027, said excess taxes to support the renovation,expansion and improvement of school facilities, and for safety and technology improvements to meet the current and future needs of District students; and providing for other matters relating thereto. ADOPTED: JULY 10, 2024 PREPARED BY: PACIFICA LAW GROUP LLP Seattle, Washington RESOLUTION NO. 1680 A RESOLUTION of the Board of Directors of Kent School District No. 415, King County,Washington,providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the District at a special election to be held therein on November 5, 2024, of the proposition of whether excess taxes should be levied of$32,200,000 in 2024 for collection in 2025, $32,600,000 in 2025 for collection in 2026, and $33,000,000 in 2026 for collection in 2027, said excess taxes to support the renovation,expansion and improvement of school facilities, and for safety and technology improvements to meet the current and future needs of District students; and providing for other matters relating thereto. WHEREAS,Kent School District No. 415,King County, Washington (the "District"), is a first-class school district duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the Constitution and the laws of the State of Washington (the "State") now in effect; and WHEREAS, pursuant to RCW 84.52.053, the qualified electors of the District may by a simple majority vote authorize capital projects and technology levies of up to six years to support the construction, modernization, and remodeling of District facilities; and WHEREAS, calendar year 2024 is the last year of collection for the District's current capital projects and technology levy, which provides funding for District facility and educational needs, including deferred maintenance and capital improvements and repairs, as well as technology infrastructure, devices, equipment software, subscriptions, training, administrative, operational, and staffing costs related to the implementation of the foregoing purposes; and WHEREAS, the District's educational facilities and support buildings require repair, modernization, improvement and expansion to meet current and future safety,security,instruction, classroom, support services and technology needs of its students (as further defined herein, the "Projects"); and WHEREAS, with the expiration of the District's current capital projects and technology levy, funds available to the District will be insufficient to enable the District to implement such I Projects; and WHEREAS, to provide adequately for student safety, security, instruction, classroom and support services, and technology needs,the Board of Directors of the District(the"Board")deems it necessary to levy taxes upon all of the taxable property within the District in excess of the maximum annual tax levy permitted by law to be levied within the District without a vote of the electors, such levy to be made for three years commencing in 2024 for collection in the school years 2024-2025 through 2027 -2028, inclusive, as authorized by Article VII, Section 2 of the State Constitution and RCW 84,52.053,with such excess taxes to be deposited into the District's Capital Projects Fund, or a sub-fund thereof, and used to pay for a portion of the Projects; and WHEREAS, the Constitution and laws of the State require that the question of whether the District may levy such excess taxes be submitted to the qualified electors of the District for their ratification or rejection; and WHEREAS, the Board deems it necessary and advisable to place the proposition for such excess tax levies before the District's voters at an election to be held within the District on November 5, 2024; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF KENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 415, KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON, as follows: Section 1. The Board hereby finds and declares that the best interests of the District's students and other residents require the District to carry out the Projects as hereinafter provided,at the time or times and in the order deemed most necessary and advisable by the Board. Section 2. Upon approval by the voters of the proposition in substantially the form set forth below, the Projects the District will finance with proceeds from the excess property tax levies will include: 2 • Student safety, and health improvements, including upgrades to building fire alarm systems; purchase and installation of boilers; • School and support facility improvements,including roof and building siding improvements; replacement of a transportation fueling station; add emergency generator to central kitchen to prevent spoilage of food during power outages; upgrade of Mill Creek Middle School and Kentridge High School athletic fields to synthetic fields; administrative and staffing costs related to managing these projects; and other capital improvements allowed under RCW 84.52.053(l) and RCW 28A.320.330(2); and • Technology improvements, including expansion and upgrades of infrastructure systems, to include select switch and wireless access point additions and replacements, upgrades to data security and disaster recovery infrastructure, District cabling improvements, data center systems, select voice amplification refresh, select intercom system upgrades, uninterruptable power supply replacements, cybersecurity enhancements, and other infrastructure systems;continuation of the District's system to furnish staff and students with a device for use at school and home; select refi-esh of classroom presentation and audio systems, and other technology devices; online applications, technology subscription fees and other ongoing technology costs associated with software licenses;professional learning and ongoing training, administrative, operational, and staffing costs related to the implementation of the foregoing purposes; and other technology improvements allowed under RCW 84.52.053(1) and 28A.320,330(2)(0 and (g). The District shall make other capital project expenditures as found necessary by the Board of Directors. The District may repay any obligations hereafter incurred for the foregoing purposes. If available funds are sufficient, the District shall acquire, construct, equip and make other capital or technology improvements to the District, all as the Board finds necessary; provided that such funds may be used only to support the construction, modernization, replacement, and 3 remodeling of school facilities or implementation of the District's technology program. Incidental costs incurred in connection with carrying out and accomplishing the foregoing shall be deemed part of the Projects. Such costs shall include,but are not limited to: payments for fiscal and legal expenses; establishing and funding accounts; necessary and related engineering, architectural, planning, consulting, permitting, inspection and testing costs; administrative and relocation expenses; site improvement and demolition costs; and costs for other similar activities or purposes, all as deemed necessary and advisable by the Board and permitted by law. The Projects, or any portion or portions thereof, shalt be acquired or made insofar as is practicable with available money and in such order of time as shall be deemed necessary and advisable by the Board. The Board shall determine the application of available money between the various parts of the Projects so as to accomplish, as near as may be, all of the Projects. The Board shall determine the exact order, extent and specifications for the Projects. The Projects are to be more fully described in the plans and specifications to be prepared by the District's architects and engineers and to be filed with the District. If the District shall determine that it has become impracticable to accomplish any of such improvements or portions thereof by reason of changed conditions or needs, incompatible development, costs substantially in excess of those estimated, or acquisition by a superior governmental authority, the District shall not be required to accomplish such improvement and may apply levy proceeds as set forth in this section. If any or all of the improvements have been completed, or their completion duly provided for, or their completion found to be impractical, the District may apply the levy proceeds or any portion thereof to other portions of the improvements or to other capital purposes of the District, as the District in its discretion shall determine. Notwithstanding any provision of this resolution to the contrary, levy proceeds may only be used to support the construction, modernization or remodeling of school facilities or implementation of 4 the District's technology program. Section 3. The Board hereby finds and declares that the best interests of the District's students and other residents require submission to the District's voters, for their approval or rejection, the proposition of whether the District shall levy excess property taxes upon all of the taxable property within the District in order to provide funding for the Projects, Upon approval by the voters of the proposition in substantially the form set forth below, the following taxes for the District's Capital Projects Fund will be levied upon all of the taxable property within the District in excess of the maximum annual tax levy permitted by law to be levied within the District without a vote of the electors: A. $32,200,000, said levy to be made in 2024 for collection in 2025; B. $32,600,000, said levy to be made in 2025 for collection in 2026; and C. $33,000,000, said levy to be made in 2026 for collection in 2027. The exact levy rate and the actual amounts collected shall be adjusted based upon the actual assessed value of the property within the District at the time of the levy. At this time,based upon information provided by the King County Assessor's Office, the estimated levy rate for the 2025 collection is$0.72 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation,the estimated levy rate for the 2026 collection is $0.70 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, and the estimated levy rate for the 2027 collection is $0.68 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. Section 4, The King County Director of Records and Elections (the "Director"), as ex offcio supervisor of elections in King County, Washington, is hereby requested to assume jurisdiction of and to call and conduct the election to be held within the District and to submit to the qualified electors of the District the proposition hereinafter set forth. Such election shall be conducted by mail or as otherwise required by the Director. The Secretary of the Board (the "Secretary") is hereby authorized and directed to certify the proposition to said officials in 5 the following form: PROPOSITION NO. 1 KENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.415 CAPITAL PROJECTS AND TECHNOLOGY LEVY The Board of Directors of Kent School District No. 415 adopted Resolution No. 1680 concerning a proposition for a replacement capital projects and technology levy. If approved, this proposition would authorize the District to levy the following excess taxes on all taxable property within the District, to provide funding for capital projects for student safety, security, instruction, classroom and support services, and technology needs. Collection Approximate Levy Rate/$1,000 Year Assessed Value _ Levy Amount 2025 $0.72 $32,200,000 2026 $0.70 $32,600,000 2027 $0.68 $33,000,000 Should this proposition be approved? YES..................................... NO..................................... . The Secretary is hereby directed to deliver a certified copy of this resolution to the Director no later than August 6, 2024, and to perform such other duties as are necessary or required by law to submit the proposition to voters. Section 5. For purposes of receiving notice of the exact language of the ballot title required by RCW 29A.36.080, the Board hereby designates the following as the individuals to whom the Director shall provide such notice: (a) the District's Deputy Superintendent (Wade Barringer), telephone: (253) 373-7203; email: Wade.Barringer(a,kent.k12.wa.us, and (b) the District's Bond Counsel, Pacifica Law Group LLP (Faith Pettis), telephone: (206) 245- 1700; email: faith.pettis@pacificalawgroup.com. The Deputy Superintendent is authorized to approve changes to the ballot title, if any, 6 deemed necessary by the Director or the King County Prosecuting Attorney. Section 6. The Superintendent,the Deputy Superintendent,the Chair of the Board,and the Secretary are severally authorized and directed to take such actions and to execute such documents as in their judgment may be necessary or desirable to effectuate the provisions of this resolution, and to perform such other duties as are necessary or required by law to submit to the District's voters at the aforesaid special election, for their approval or rejection, the proposition of whether the District shall levy annual excess property taxes to pay the costs of the Projects. All actions of the District or its staff or officers taken prior to the effective date of this resolution and consistent with the objectives and terms of this resolution are ratified and confirmed. Section 7. In the event that any provision of this resolution shall be held to be invalid,such invalidity shall not affect or invalidate any other provision of this resolution,but shall be construed and enforced as if such invalid provision had not been contained herein; provided, however, that any provision which shall for any reason be held to be invalid shall be deemed to be in effect to the extent permitted by law. 7 Section 8. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption. ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of Kent School District No. 415, King County, Washington, at a special meeting thereof, held on the 10th day of July, 2024. KENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.415,KING COUNTY,WASHINGTON esident irector "'ale Farah(Jul 12,2024 10:58 GMT+3) Director Timothy Clark ul 11,202411:17 PDT) Director Director Director ATTEST: Secretary, Board of Directors 8