Upper Valley Aquatics Boosters
Who/What is the UVAB?
The Upper Valley Aquatics Boosters is a grass roots group of area residents who have come together across the PRSA community to support our lovely Howard Hopkins Memorial Pool.
The PRSA levy that currently pays for approximately 50% of the maintenance and operations of the pool is set to expire this year. If there is not a replacement levy in place for 2025, the pool may be in jeopardy of closing. If you believe that a healthy community needs a pool as a place to teach kids how to swim, bring families and neighbors together, provide child and adult swimming and fitness classes, grow a swim team, and provide an overall community asset, then we ask you to Vote YES on Proposition 1.
Here's what you need to know:
Funding for our pool comes primarily through a property tax levy that is voted on every 6 years.
If the levy is not approved by 60% of voters, a lack of funding could result in a significant reduction in pool operations and programming or the possibility of the pool closing indefinitely.
The next vote will be by ballot due by August 6. Ballots are mailed July 19th.
The PRSA is asking for a levy of $0.15 per $1,000 of the assessed property value.
The vote narrowly passed in 2018; your support is critical to keeping the pool open!
The UVAB enthusiastically supports the passage of this PRSA renewal levy. This will ensure the pool can remain open and better serve its residents through increased operations and programming, as well as maintain a reserve fund to address costly maintenance and repairs that limit the pool’s operations.
See Below for a detailed Frequently Asked Questions guide that can help answer most questions.
UVAB 2024 Levy
FAQ Sheet
FAQ Sheet
VOTE YES on Proposition 1 by August 6th!
June 30, 2024
What is the Upper Valley Parks and Recreation Service Area (PRSA)?
The Upper Valley Parks and Recreation Service Area, frequently known as the PRSA, is a voter-approved Special Purpose District that was formed in 1997. The PRSA is a legal entity separate from the City of Leavenworth and is governed by a volunteer board with representatives from Chelan County, the City of Leavenworth, Peshastin Community Council, the Chumstick community, and Cascade School District.
What are the PRSA’s boundaries?
The current PRSA boundaries include the City of Leavenworth’s city limits, and extend out a portion of the Chumstick Highway, Icicle Road and East Leavenworth Road, and a portion of Peshastin, with most properties located just west of Highway 97.
Why does the PRSA have a levy?
Under state law, PRSA is considered a junior taxing district and can levy a tax against assessed property values within its service area. Assessed property values are provided by Chelan County. PRSA’s property tax levy supports the maintenance and operations of the Howard Hopkins Memorial Pool in Leavenworth. This levy must be approved by voters every 6 years, with 60% majority support.
What is the current PRSA levy rate?
In 2018, the PRSA Voters re-authorized the levy of $0.11 per $1,000 of assessed value for properties in its service area. As of 2024, the PRSA is only collecting just under $0.08 per $1,000 of assessed value. Per current State laws, the property tax annual dollar collection of the PRSA may only increase up to 1% based on the first year’s dollar collection; after the initial collection year that the levy is set, the levy rate begins to drop as new construction occurs and assessed values are increased by the County Assessor. In other words, the assessed values of properties in the PRSA service area are increasing more rapidly than 1% per year, which means the levy rate has been dropping as it is spread over higher assessed values.
The PRSA utilizes 100% of its property tax levy to support the City of Leavenworth’s maintenance and operations of the Howard Hopkins Memorial Pool. At the current suppressed levy rate of $0.08, the PRSA’s property tax revenues for 2024 total $197,000. Unfortunately, the anticipated tax revenues only cover about 50% of the pool’s annual operating budget. The remaining 25% comes from the City of Leavenworth Lodging Taxes and 25% comes from user fees/charges (pool pass and daily entrance fee sales).
What is the levy rate PRSA is asking you to reauthorize on the August ballot?
This August, the PRSA will ask voters to approve a new levy rate for the next 6 years at $0.15 per $1,000 of assessed value (an increase of 4 cents). The higher rate will generate around $463,000 in annual revenue for the PRSA (about $266,000 more in tax revenues annually).
Why is the PRSA asking voters to approve a higher levy rate?
This increased levy rate will allow the PRSA to better serve its residents with improved operations and programming at the pool, as well as maintain a reserve fund to address costly maintenance and repairs that limit the pool’s current operations.
What is the cost to operate and maintain the pool right now?
The 2024 Budget includes $387,000 in maintenance and operational costs; in addition, the budget has increased to cover the cost of $30,000 in emergency repairs for a total of $417,000. Capital reserve dollars are being utilized to make up the difference in expenses exceeding revenues this year.
I don’t use the Howard Hopkins Memorial pool, why should I approve the PRSA’s higher levy rate in August?
Our community pool significantly increases the quality of life for residents in the service area. A pool that provides swim lessons and a safe water recreation option for all makes our area a more desirable place to live and contributes to the stability and vitality of our families and our workforce. The community pool provides swim lessons for all ages. It also supports a swim team, exercise classes, and senior activities.
Are there limits on how much I can pay in property taxes?
Yes. Washington State’s Constitution limits the regular (non-voted) combined property tax rate that applies to an individual’s property to 1% of market value ($10 per $1,000). Voter-approved special levies, such as special levies for schools, are in addition to this amount.
What about tax levies?
Washington State law restricts taxing districts from levying, in any year, more than a 1% increase in its regular, non-voted levy over the highest amount that could have been levied since 1985.
How will this impact my property taxes?
This table illustrates the amount of taxes you will pay based on an assessed property value under the new levy:
On average, what percent of my annual property taxes will increase for the PRSA levy?
Approximately less than 1%.
What do my property tax dollars pay for?
Property tax is the primary funding source for essential local services, including public schools, fire protection, libraries, and parks. The average property tax distribution statewide is about:
57% Schools
15% Counties
11% Fire/EMS
11% Cities/Towns
6% Other (such as PRSA’s levy)
To view more information, visit the Department of Revenue’s interactive map with county values, levy rates, and levy amounts.
Where did the name of the pool originate?
Early in his career during the year 1927, Dr. Howard “Hoppy” Hopkins came from Nebraska to join Dr. Albert Lessing at the Cascade Sanitarium. Ten years later, he was running the sanitarium by himself when Dr. Marvin E. Speer arrived to help. In 1940, Dr. Howard L. Hopkins was 38 years old and living in Leavenworth with his wife, Mary. He was a good man and a fine doctor who served the people of Leavenworth very well for almost three decades.
At one point during his tenure, a young boy drowned. Dr. Hopkins decided that something needed to be done to keep children out of the rivers that flowed, at times fast and furiously, in the Leavenworth area. Consequently, he financed the building of our town pool which opened in the 1950’s.
Although Dr. Hopkins died from cancer in 1957 before reaching the age of 60, he doubtlessly saved countless lives by allowing children a safe place to swim other than the local waters. In the Summer of 2014, the City of Leavenworth erected a sign officially dedicating the pool to his honor. Along with a sign reading “Leavenworth Hopkins Memorial Pool,” a plaque telling his story for all to read was placed at the pool’s entrance.
UVAB Mission Statement
The Upper Valley Aquatics Boosters is a coalition to build enthusiasm, direction, support, and funds for our community pool in Leavenworth with the goal to create for the upper valley a vibrant year-round aquatics center that preserves a natural outdoor feel.