Tribe 'owes' for funding for school budget

For the school year 2018-2019 the La Conner School District budget shows general fund taxes at $1,006,174, and debt service taxes at $1,500,000, for a total of $2,506,174.

There are 564 students estimated in the school population, of which 90 students will come from Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned. These areas are not on the tax rolls. Subtracting 90 from 564 leaves 474. Divide that into $2,506,174 and you get $5,287.29 per student. That times 90 equals $475,856 that the Swinomish Tribe owes for the kids who come from Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned.

The Native Americans who live in the Village do not contribute toward debt service for the bond that built the middle school, even though they voted for it. Using 16.67 percent as the estimated ratio of Native Americans in the school population, the Tribe should contribute $250,000 for debt service.

The total comes to $725,856 that is due from the Tribe, plus $100,000 per year they volunteered for four years to help fund a new roof on the gym. The budget only calls for $450,000. That is $275,856 short. The School Board should meet again and amend the budget. The levy request for debt service should be reduced from $1,500,000 to $1,250,000.

Sincerely,

Dan O’Donnell