PORT TOWNSEND — A four-year replacement levy to subsidize educational programs for the Port Townsend School District was headed for a landslide victory, with more than 66 percent of voters approving the measure, after initial votes were counted Tuesday night.
“This is really exciting,” said Superintendent Gene Laes at the Jefferson County Courthouse shortly after vote totals were announced.
“It says a lot about the commitment of Port Townsend that they are giving us this kind of support in tough times, to give us the level of support they showed us.”
Laes, now the permanent superintendent, was hired as interim superintendent last year with the levy passage as one of his main tasks.
“The vote totals show the level of trust that the voters have given me,” he said.
“I’m going to meet that level of trust and move Port Townsend Schools forward.”
Of the 5,871 votes counted in the district, 3,914, or 66.64 percent, voted in favor of the measure, while 1,959, or 33.36 percent, voted against it.
Voter turnout in the district was 54.35 percent of the ballots mailed to registered voters.
Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge said about 350 votes were on hand but uncounted. It was not known how many included votes from the Port Townsend School District, the Chimacum School District or a proposed countywide sales tax increase.
The next count is scheduled for noon Friday.
The property tax levy, which replaces a levy that expires this year, will collect $3.1 million its first year in 2012 and about 4 percent more each year to $3.4 million in 2015.
Under this structure, property assessed at $200,000 will generate $246 for the schools in 2012, rising to $278 in 2015.
The current levy rate is $1.17 per $1,000 assessed valuation, which means that the owner of a $200,000 home pays about $234 in taxes to the district.
The estimated rate of the new levy would be $1.23 per $1,000 the first year and increase to $1.39 per $1,000 in 2015.
Defeat of the levy would have most deeply affected art, music, athletics and after-school programs, school district officials have said.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
