EPHRATA Ballots will be mailed to voters Jan. 24 for the Feb. 13 special election that features educational program and operations levy requests in a number of school districts.
SOAP LAKE Soap Lake School District voters will be asked to accept or reject a four-year educational programs and operations levy in a special election Feb. 13. Ballots will be mailed later this month.
District Superintendent Aaron Chavez said the levy, if it’s approved, will replace the existing levy. Property owners in the district would pay $2.29 per $1,000 of assessed property value if the levy is approved, the same rate as the current levy.
“The board decided to keep it at $2.29 because they feel the way the economy is right now, we don’t want to overburden our taxpayers,” Chavez said.
SOAP LAKE The city of Soap Lake is expected to spend about $7.15 million in 2024, according to the proposed budget to be voted on by the Soap Lake City Council Dec. 20. The proposed budget includes a 5% decrease in spending. Utility rates may be increased in 2024, although that is still to be determined.
SOAP LAKE – The city of Soap Lake has experienced an increase in past-due water utility payments and shut-off notices, said Mayor Michelle Agliano. However, city residents say the issue is as much with the city’s billing processes as it is with nonpayment.
“Payments are due on the 28th,” said Agliano. “The late notices go out the 29th and then if we have not gotten a payment by, usually the 4th after the new billing, we start sending out shut-off notices, which are hand delivered to each resident and I’ll tell you what, there were a ton of them this time that had notices.” .