The grant funding provided by the Department of Defense and State of Washington to rebuild Hand-in-Hand/HomeConnection and Crescent Harbor Elementary can only be spent on construction for these two projects. The funding supports the construction of the facilities for these two schools because of their location on military installations, but does not support the programs and services housed inside of the schools. The local levy makes our award-winning programs and services possible for all of our students.

When Oak Harbor taxpayers receive their property tax statement, they see three taxes for schools. One is for the local voter-approved enrichment levy for Oak Harbor Public Schools and two are for state-collected tax for basic education funding. We do not control the tax rate for the state-collected taxes, nor do we have control over how much funding we receive from those two tax amounts. 

Replacement levies in Washington State generally include: (1) approval of the ballot title by the county attorney, (2) a reasonably level estimated tax rate for voters, and (3) the ability to maintain the staffing, programs, and services in the prior levy.

Oak Harbor’s proposed renewal levy meets all of these criteria. It is important to know that Washington State requires that its state-mandated cost of living adjustments and benefits apply to all staff, including levy-funded staff. In order to maintain the existing services, the dollars collected each year are adjusted to reflect increased property values, maintaining a level estimated tax rate and sustaining the promised services for students.

These annual dollar amounts are clearly listed by tax year in (1) the mailer sent to every address in Oak Harbor, (2) on our levy webpage, and (3) will be clearly listed on the ballot measure. This is consistent with districts across our state and has been the same with every levy run in Oak Harbor, including those passed regularly by voters over the last 20 years.

We hear you. That’s why the district is keeping its levy rate and dollars per student below the state maximum for schools, while neighboring districts not only collect the maximum, they also add supplemental levies on top. The current levy cap for Oak Harbor Public Schools would equal to approximately $2.50 per $1,000 assessed property value. The renewal levy rate is $2.28, which is $.27 below the maximum amount we could collect while still mainitaining our services and programs for students.

Even with fewer dollars per student than neighboring districts, Oak Harbor has one of the highest graduation rates in the state and has earned multiple state/national awards for its schools and programs. In fact, Oak Harbor has received more state and national recognition for its exceptional programs and services for students than any other district in our region. Oak Harbor Public Schools was also recently recognized for fiscal stewardship by the State Auditor’s Office for our robust accounting and fiscal management of public funds.  Our school district has a long-standing record of good fiscal management of local bonds and levies. 

You can now register online, by mail, or in-person to vote.  You can learn more about registering to vote by going to the Island County Elections website.

Yes, even if the active-duty member maintains his or her residency elsewhere. More information on how military members and their spouses can register to vote can be found on the Washington Secretary of State website.

No. Levy money can only be used to pay for our promised levy-supported programs, staff, and resources.

Our local community decides how to spend local funds. This makes levies powerful because we have local control. Oak Harbor has invested local dollars based on the community's priorities without state or federal government interference. That’s why our local levy has made such a profound difference for students.

2026: $2.28
2027: $2.28
2028: $2.28
2029: $2.28

This is the same rate that was asked for during the 2021 Levy Replacement ballot measure.

The proposed levy amount for the renewal will be:

2026: $16,990,000
2027: $17,680,000
2028: $18,387,000
2029: $19,122,000

No. While a lot of our election communication materials show an approximate dollar rate per $1,000 assessed property value to simplify the messaging, voters are actually approving a flat dollar amount collected. Regardless of assessed property values, we can only collect the flat dollar amount approved by voters, which is why rates have actually decreased over the last few years because of the amount of new housing and growth in the Oak Harbor community.

Impact Aid does not equal what the district would receive if all of the Federal lands in Oak Harbor paid property taxes. While it offsets some of the funding, it is not equal to what we would receive in property taxes and has not been fully funded in many years. Oak Harbor’s levy plus Impact Aid is less per student than most of our neighboring districts get from their levies alone.

Yes. There are some property tax exemptions for senior citizens, disabled individuals, and widows/widowers of veterans. There are also deferments available for other property owners. Details about how to qualify for these programs are available from the Department of Revenue.

The last levy election was in February of 2021 and lasted for four years. There was two recent bond measures that were on the ballots in February 2022 and February 2023, but the measures failed to meet the state-required supermajority of 60% in order to pass. Oak Harbor tax payers are no longer paying for a bond measure for Oak Harbor Public Schools on their property taxes and we only have one current levy to support the more than 5,000 students in our schools.

No. It replaces the current levy, which expires at the end of 2025. The new levy would start in January 2026.

This is not a new levy. It’s a replacement of the current levy that expires at the end of the 2025 calendar year. School funding has not kept pace with the increase in student needs or cost of supplies and services. The renewal of the local levy will go directly towards filling budget gaps and meeting community priorities such as:

• Health & Safety
• School Nurses
• Mental Health Counselors
• Safety Enhancements
• Inclusion/Belonging
  • Special Education
  • Paraeducators
• Academic Excellence
  • Academic Counselors
  • Smaller class sizes
  • Athletics
  • Intramurals
  • Arts
  • Music
  • Theater
• Technology
  • Chromebooks
  • Classroom Technology
  • Curriculum Software

The levy in Oak Harbor helps pay for all of the programs and services the state does not consider to be “basic education” and helps bridge the gap for many programs that are underfunded.  One-sixth of the district budget comes from the levy and state levy match, including nearly 125 staff positions.

The state underfunds services such as special education and support for health and safety.  The levy supplements these services. Electives, activities & athletics, advanced programs, and more are not considered “basic education” and require levy funding.