Voters in the Wenatchee School District will soon decide the fate of the Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy.

There are two possible outcomes: renewal or expiration. Either one will titanically impact the Wenatchee School District, which comprises over a dozen elementary, middle and high schools in Chelan County.

The four-year levy amounts to $12.9M, about a tenth of the district's total budgeted revenues. The district hastens to assure people this isn't a new tax; it's a continuation of the status quo. The district is seeking only to renew an existing levy approved in 2021.

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Superintendent Kory Kalahar says the levy pays for vital extracurriculars and other expenses not covered by the state.

"Everything in terms of middle and high school athletics, everything in terms of middle and high school extracurricular activities - we provide these things in the Wenatchee School District to give these students a full, well-rounded opportunity," Kalahar says.

The levy also covers "a lot of our maintenance and operations, some of our custodial staff - it goes above and beyond what the state doesn't fund."

"If, as a district, we're funded from the state for eight counselors in our school district, but we'd rather have 12, the levy helps us bring that up. If we get six nurses, but we'd like to have nine nurses to spread that wealth around our 14 different schools, it helps support that work as well! [The levy] does a lot of amazing things to help keep our systems active and moving strong."

Voters take to the polls on February 11.

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Gallery Credit: Scott Clow