Whether the bond and levy measures pass on February 9 or not, the local economy will feel the impact.

"The district employs 1,300 staff members, with an $8 million payroll," said Marysville Superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland. "About one-fifth of our teaching jobs are financed by the levy operations dollars. With expected reductions in education spending from the state, we probably wouldn't be able to replace those salaries if the levy fails."

Construction of three new schools, replacing Liberty and Cascade elementary schools and Marysville Middle School, will also generate local jobs and lead to the purchase of construction supplies.

Voters can decide on passage of the levy and bond issues independently. As the district reminds citizens, "Levies are for Learning, Bonds are for Building." The levy requires a simple majority to pass, while the bond request must get a 60 percent approval.

The proposed $21 million levy replaces an expiring levy and funds daily educational support. That means teachers, student transportation, utilities, textbooks, special education and athletics.

The bond also takes the place of an expiring bond measure from 2006. It provides $78 million in construction funding to replace three old schools and facilitate needed building repairs.

If both measures are approved, homeowners will see a slight reduction in their property taxes. The owner of a $300,000 home, for example, would realize a savings of $48 per year over last year's assessment.

"We have an awesome team in place to help us take advantage of favorable construction conditions right now," said Nyland. "Our tax dollars will go farther because we're ahead of inflation, and because we've already started the planning and study process for these projects."

If the bond measure fails, according to Nyland, the district would lose considerable ground. The capital projects team, led by John Bingham and responsible for bringing several big projects in ahead of schedule and under budget, would be disbanded and all preliminary planning would stop.

"In a year or two, when we go back to the voters to replace these schools, the cost will probably be more like $88 million instead of $78 million," Nyland predicted.

The Marysville School District currently has eight needy schools, all over 60 years old. The ideal solution, said Nyland, would be to run a small bond every four years to tackle these post-WWII buildings.

Of course, the local school district is faced with other challenges alongside the facility issues. New testing and reporting requirements put in place by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) are still being studied and organized, and the legislative session is sure to bring more bad budget news.

"The focus on early childhood education is well-deserved," Nyland commented, "but requiring accommodations for 3- and 4-year-olds in every school seems ambitious when our K-12 budgets are strained."

Another potential worry is the issue of levy equalization. Under the policy, poorer school districts, like Marysville, receive a subsidy to make up for the lower property values, but the legislature is considering doing away with the program.

"Levy rates are the most inequitable taxes of all," Nyland explained. "Residents in more affluent areas pay proportionately lower taxes to support their schools. Without the levy equalization allowance, Marysville would have to raise its levy request by about 4 percent."