Cost Information
This is not a new tax. It renews an expiring local levy.
This measure renews the existing levy that is set to expire at the end of 2026.
Local levy dollars fund staff and services the state does not fully cover. The local levy accounts for about 15% of Highline’s operating budget.
Tax Rates
Taxes are expected to remain stable — with an adjustment each year to keep up with inflation.
The proposed tax rate is $2.07 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2027 and rises slightly each year, reaching $2.11 in 2030.
This adjustment helps maintain current service levels in the face of rising costs.
Collection Amounts
The proposed levy will provide a maximum of approximately $333.9 million for educational needs not fully funded by the state.
We Collect Only What We Need
Levy amounts are based on high enrollment projections to ensure we're authorized to meet student needs—but actual collections depend on how many students enroll.
If enrollment is lower than projected—as it has been recently—we collect less than the approved amount. Enrollment in recent years has been closer to our medium projection.
Example: Collection Amounts & Tax Rates
These numbers are projections. We collect based on actual enrollment and property values.
We are not allowed to collect more than what is approved by voters.
|
Year |
Levy Amount |
Projected Tax Rate |
Levy Amount |
Projected Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
High Enrollment Projection |
Medium Enrollment Projection |
||
|
2026 |
$69.9 million |
$2.03 |
$67.8 million |
$2.01 |
|
2027 |
$74.5 million |
$2.07 |
$71.8 million |
$1.99 |
|
2028 |
$80.3 million |
$2.09 |
$76.6 million |
$1.99 |
|
2029 |
$86.2 million |
$2.10 |
$81.3 million |
$1.98 |
|
2030 |
$92.8 million |
$2.11 |
$86.6 million |
$1.97 |
|
4-Year Total |
$333.9 million |
$316.3 million |
||
If enrollment is lower than projected—as it has been recently—we collect less than the approved amount.
Is there an increase in the amount of money the levy will generate for schools?
Beginning in the 2025–26 school year, Highline will be able to collect more local levy funding than in recent years—about $4 million more. While voters approved this amount in 2021, a state-imposed cap prevented us from collecting the full amount. That cap has now been lifted, and in 2026, we can collect the full amount voters authorized.
The proposed 2025 levy is a renewal of the 2021 levy—not a new tax. It maintains that increased funding level moving forward, with small annual adjustments for inflation as allowed by the state.
