The Hood River County School District board held its first discussions about renewing the local option levy that has been in existence since 2005-06.  The district is in the final year of a five-year local option levy of a $1.25 per $1,000 of assessed property value.  That is the voter approved rate first established in 2008-09, down from a $1.50 in the first three-year levy approved in 2005-06.  District board chair Mark Johnson says the district’s budget committee will have to discuss a rate for the upcoming request, but he points out the local option has become a lifeline for the district.  The board’s opening discussion centered around process toward putting together a proposal to place on the May ballot, and Johnson expects that to ramp up at the start of the year.