When the South Kitsap School District was considering a levy in 2001 following two failed levies in 2000, a small group of business leaders saw the district “on the verge of a crisis” and went into action to help.

“We got together and said that failure is not an option. The schools needed someone to promote them,” said Don Cox of CPA firm Cox & Lucy.

The group, calling itself CLASS — Community Leaders Affirming School Support — spoke at various group events, paid for billboard ads, talked to business owners and even organized a rally in support of the schools.

One of their tools was a brochure debunking myths about the school district and funding, such as how much of the budget is funded by levies, how much the district spends per student, how South Kitsap’s tax rate compares to similar districts, and others. Among the points that the brochure stressed is that levies are not just a school district issue but a quality of life one.

“Businesses are most sensitive to having a healthy community. If you have good schools, people come (to the community),” Cox said. “Schools are a vital link.”

The levy passed by a 65 percent ”Yes” vote, and CLASS members believe it was due in big part to the connection and support they helped create within the business community.

This year, CLASS is back at work, as South Kitsap is proposing a new four-year levy in order to fund programs after the current levy expires at the end of December 2005. The levy, which would cost taxpayers an estimated $2.65 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2006 and less every year after, would bring in between $12.5 million and $14.3 million each of the four years, beginning in 2006.

Jim Civilla with Westbay Auto Parts, another CLASS member, says most of the feedback they have received this time around is positive, and the school district has done a good job with accountability and building trust, garnering more community support. Passing a levy now is even more important as the district grows and needs to maintain good schools, he said.

“The school district has a strong impact on the community,” he said.
  CLASS has grown to about 30 members, and they have already begun to once again visit businesses, put up signs, and talk to people on behalf of the district, which by law cannot campaign for the election, which is set for Feb. 8. A Jan. 8 rally at 11 a.m. at the South Kitsap Mall in Port Orchard will feature speakers, music by a school band, and a parade up the hill to nearby Albertsons. The rally was attended by as many as 250 people last year.

To find out more about the levy, visit the South Kitsap School Supporters, another group created to promote the levy, online at www.sksslevy.com.