With the passage of both measures, the total school tax rate for homeowners in the North Beach School District will be $2.56 per thousand valuation. The following chart shows that tax rate in comparison to current tax rates in neighboring districts.

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Homeowners in the North Beach School District have long enjoyed an exceptionally low school tax rate. The administration and board of directors have worked hard to provide a high-quality education for students while being good stewards of the public’s money.

We've reached the point when being responsible means spending money judiciously to protect our tax-payers’ investment in local schools.

Whether you have children in our schools or not, maintaining our funding and our buildings makes sense.

How so?

The quality of communities is often measured by their schools. This plays a factor in the value of our homes, too.

For many of us, our homes are our biggest asset. By taking care of our schools, we're ensuring the investment in our homes is protected too.

What will the bond measure cost homeowners?

North Beach School District's current bond measure, which was approved by voters in 2001, ends December 31, 2022. It was approved at a tax rate of $0.49 per thousand-dollar value of a home or real property. For a home valued at $300,000, the cost is $147 per year, or $12.25 monthly.

If the current bond measure request is approved by voters, the tax rate will be approximately $1.75 per thousand. The estimated collection for a home worth $300,000 will be $525 or $43.75 monthly.

This is an increase of $1.26 per thousand. For example, a home worth $300,000, will see an increase of $378 per year, or $31.50 per month, over the current cost.

What will the levy cost homeowners?

North Beach School District historically has run an Educational Programs and Operations levy every two years. Voters approved the current levy in 2020 (for the 2021 and 2022 school years) at a rate of $1.35 per thousand.  But, due to the state’s cap on levy collections, the tax rate was rolled back $0.84 per thousand.

The district is asking voters to renew the levy at a lower rate of $1.06 when the current levy expires at the end of 2022. Again, due to the state’s cap on levy collections, the district estimates that it will collect approximately $0.81 per thousand.

The levy and bond measures combined equal the district’s total tax collection.

A school district’s total tax collection is the combination of bond and levy collections. In the North Beach School District, homeowners’ total school tax collections will be an estimated $2.56 per thousand – the total of $1.75 per thousand (bond measure) plus $0.81 (levy collections) – if both measures pass.

For a home worth $300,000, this translates to a total annual cost of $768, of $64 monthly. This is an increase of $1.23 per thousand assessed value.  Compared to current school tax collections, this is an estimated increase of $369 per year, or $30.75 monthly.

Can we afford this now?

Rising property values in the area and continued low interest rates make this a good time for the district to issue bonds. We are in an excellent position to make long-term capital investments in our schools without placing an undue burden on taxpayers.

Each of our three schools will benefit by timely work to:

• Expand learning spaces
• Reduce classroom overcrowding, and 
• Provide crucial maintenance before buildings seriously deteriorate.

In recent years, we’ve also come to realize schools have a vital role to play in protecting our students, staff and community members in a potential natural disaster situation – a tsunami.

What do we have planned?

• In the case of Pacific Beach Elementary, the most economical thing to do is to tear down the old school and rebuild. This is our opportunity to relocate the school at a higher elevation, safe from tsunami danger, and to include dedicated space for early learning and a health clinic.
• For Ocean Shores Elementary and North Beach Middle/High School, a portion of the new construction will provide large, enclosed spaces at or above 50’ in height. In normal times, these spaces will provide learning places and community use opportunities. In the event of a tsunami, they will provide a place for students, staff and nearby community members to take refuge in.

Read more about proposed work on the bond web page. 

Read more about what our levy pays for here.

Both of these propositions are deemed essential to the health, vitality and continued growth within North Beach School District. Even with the passage of both propositions, the tax rate for property in the North Beach School District will still be significantly lower than our neighboring communities.