Rather than telling voters that there will be “no tax rate increase,” the Lake Washington School District should state how much the bond measures will cost in dollars and clearly explain their cost analysis on the district’s website.

Using Excel, I calculated that paying off the $398 million bonds with 4.5 percent interest over 20 years will cost $30.6 million per year. Since the district’s total assessed value is $44 billion, the additional tax for a median priced home valued at $570,000 would be $400 per year – this is in addition to the $1,800 that is already being collected for school taxes.

The next bond measure is planned for 2018 and will ask for $288 million. Paying for this bond measure over 20 years at 4.5 percent will cost another $290 per year. These two bond measures together will increase taxes on a median priced home from $1,800 to nearly $2,500.

Voters should realize that “no tax rate increase” is not the same as “no tax increase.” It is not possible for a school district to issue nearly $700 million in bonds and not have taxes increase significantly.

I invite the Lake Washington School District to clarify the actual costs of new bond measures – and itemize the cost of new bonds and “expiring bonds and levies” so that we can see how much more we will be paying if the bond measures pass. We all would like to know.

Susan Wilkins, Redmond