The Sequim School District’s proposed $54 million construction bond was losing in the first count of special election ballots tonight, while a bond for the Port Townsend schools passed by a whopping 73.06 percent.
Bond issues require a 60 percent supermajority for passage.
Bonds for the Chimacum School District and the Discovery Bay Fire & Rescue did not make the required 60 percent supermajority, although the fire district bond’s approval missed the mark by only 0.24 percent.
Levies requested in the Quilcene, Brinnon and Crescent school districts, which require a simple majority for passage, each garnered more than 60 percent approval.
Auditors in both Clallam and Jefferson counties counted all ballots on hand tonight.
In Clallam County, 13,608 out of 24,104 ballots mailed were counted for a voter turnout of 56.46 percent.
In Jefferson County, 11,648 ballots of 23,100 mailed were counted for a voter turnout of 50.42 percent. The only uncounted ballots on hand were 116 ballots challenged for lack of signatures or other issues.
Auditors in both counties have scheduled the next count, which will include those in drop boxes and those that come in the mail later this week, for Friday.
Sequim school bond
Tonight’s tally showed that the Sequim bond was approved by a total of 7,435 votes, or 57.01 percent, and opposed by 5,605, or 42.99 percent.
The total in Clallam County was 7,344 votes, or 57.04 percent yes and 5,532, or 42.96 percent, no.
In Jefferson County, it was 91 votes, or 55.49 percent yes and 73, or 44.51 percent, no.
The construction bond was proposed to build a new elementary school, renovate Greywolf Elementary and Sequim High School, repurpose Haller Elementary and make other improvements.
If it passed, it would result in a tax levy of 61 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation on property owners, or the addition of about $138.14 in annual property taxes for the owner of a $246,675 home.
The ballot question was the district’s fourth attempt to pass a bond.
Voters defeated a $49.3 million measure on the Nov. 3 ballot, a $49.2 million bond proposal on last February’s ballot and a $154 million measure in April 2014.
Port Townsend school bond
Tuesday night, the proposed $40,977,588 Port Townsend School District bond was approved by 4,437 voters, or 73.06 percent, and opposed by 1,636, or 26.94 percent.
The bond was proposed to fund construction of a new elementary school and make improvements to Port Townsend High School.
A property tax rate of $1.24 per $1,000 assessed property value would be expected to be required for 20 years to finance the bond.
Property owners are now paying 54 cents per $1,000 assessed value for a capital improvements levy that will be retired in 2016. Proponents say that means that the new measure, if approved, would result in a net increase for capital improvements of 70 cents per $1,000 assessed value.
Approval of the bond measure would mean the annual property tax for a $150,000 property would increase by $105, the school district said.
Chimacum school bond
Election Night totals showed the proposed $29.1 million Chimacum School District bond was approved by 2,462 voters, or 57.14 percent, and opposed by 1,847, or 42.86 percent.
If approved, most of the money raised, $19.8 million, would go to expansion of the Chimacum Creek Primary School, with the rest earmarked for upgrades of technology, heating and electrical and the construction of an all-weather track at the school district’s main campus.
A property tax levy rate of $1.26 per $1,000 assessed property value would be expected to be required for 20 years to finance the bond.
Approval of the bond measure would mean the annual property tax for a $150,000 property would increase by $189, the school district said.
Quilcene levy
In the initial count, a proposed four-year maintenance and operation levy for Quilcene School District was approved by 403 voters, or 66.39 percent, and opposed by 204, or 33.61 percent.
The replacement levy would cost an estimated $1.58 per $1,000 assessed valuation in the first collection year and increase 1 cent per year until the levy would be $1.61 per $1,000 assessed valuation in its final year of collection.
Brinnon school levy
A two-year maintenance and operations levy for the Brinnon School District, which serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grades, was passing with 315 votes, or 64.68 percent, approving it and 172 votes, or 35.32 percent opposing it.
Brinnon’s two-year levy would cost an estimated $1.14 per $1,000 assessed valuation in 2017 for a total collection of $305,516, and $1.17 per $1,000 assessed valuation for a collection of $314,681 in 2018.
Crescent school levies
Election Night totals showed Crescent School District’s four-year maintenance and operation levy was approved by 471 voters, or 65.06 percent, and opposed by 253, or 34.94 percent.
Its four-year capital levy was approved by 466 voters, or 64.19 percent, and opposed by 260, or 35.81 percent.
The replacement maintenance and operations levy would collect $520,000 annually for a total of $2,080,000 over four years.
The renewed levy would cost taxpayers an estimated $1.69 per $1,000 of assessed property value — about $338 per year on a $200,000 house.
The 2017-20 capital levy would fund repair and renovation of district facilities, including buildings and walkways.
It would cost property owners 31 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value — about $62 per year on a $200,000 home.
The capital levy would collect $100,000 annually for four years for a total of $400,000.
Discovery Bay Fire bond
A $530,000 bond to replace Discovery Bay Fire & Rescue’s Fire Station 51 on the corner of Bentley Place and East Uncas Road in Discovery Bay won approval from 98 voters, or 59.76 percent, and was opposed by 66, or 40.24 percent.
The bond for the all-volunteer fire district would be paid over 20 years. It would cost taxpayers an estimated levy of $1.88 per $1,000, or about $53 per year on a home assessed at $100,000.
