PORT ANGELES — School district measures across Clallam and Jefferson counties were passing after initial ballot returns Tuesday night.
In Clallam County, Sequim School District voters were asked to decide on two measures.
Proposition 1, a four-year, $36.2 million Educational Programs and Operations replacement levy (EP&O) to support sports, music, counselors, nurses, maintenance and other expenses not funded by the state, was passing at 67.8 percent. Between both counties, there were 7,581 votes for the measure and 3,600 against (32.2 percent).
It would increase the current tax collection rate from 86 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to 94 cents per $1,000.
Meanwhile, Proposition 2, a $145.95 million construction bond to fund a replacement for Helen Haller Elementary, upgrades at Greywolf Elementary, renovation of Sequim High School and installation of safety and security features, was passing its required supermajority threshold at 65.6 percent.
In the two-county region, there were 7,270 votes for the measure and 3,814 against (34.4 percent).
Voters in the Quillayute Valley School District were approving Proposition 1, a four-year $6 million EP&O replacement levy. Between both counties, there were 608 yes votes, or 57.7 percent, to 445 no votes, or 42.3 percent.
If voters pass the levy, the school district would obtain about $5.7 million a year in Local Effort Assistance funding and enable it to continue collecting timber revenue.
In Jefferson County, voters in the Chimacum School District were approving Proposition 1, a three-year, $7.275 million replacement EP&O levy to support teaching, school supplies, technology, athletics, buildings and transportation. There were 2,757 yes votes, or 68.4 percent, to 1,272 no votes, or 31.6 percent.
The tax rate is estimated to be 66 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value for all three years.
Voters in the Port Townsend School District were passing both Proposition 1 and Proposition 2.
Proposition 1 is a three-year, $12.9 million replacement educational programs and school support levy that would pay for services including the library, arts, nutrition and wellness, special education, multi-language learners and extracurricular and co-curricular activities.
On Tuesday, there were 4,473 yes votes, or 78.2 percent, to 1,245 no votes, or 21.8 percent.
The tax rate is estimated to be 82 cents per $1,000 in the first two years and 81 cents per $1,000 in the final year.
Proposition 2 is a three-year, $7.1 million replacement capital levy to support the construction, modernization and remodeling of school facilities. It would improve disability access at Port Townsend High School and Blue Heron Middle School, demolish the Lincoln Building, plan for upgrades at the high school and OCEAN School, continue to study seismic retrofit at the high school and make other safety, technology and facilities improvements to school facilities.
Voters were passing the measure with 4,418 yes votes, or 77.3 percent, to 1,295 votes, or 22.7 percent.
The tax rate is estimated to be 45 cents per $1,000 for all three years.
All levies require a simple majority to pass. Construction bonds, such as Sequim School District’s Proposition 2, require a 60 percent supermajority to pass.
In Clallam County, the voter turnout was 38.6 percent, with 12,137 ballots returned out of 31,422 mailed. About 350 remained to be counted as of Tuesday night, with the next update expected to be at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
In Jefferson County, the voter turnout was 39.1 percent, with 9,969 ballots returned out of 25,495 mailed. About two remained to be counted as of Tuesday night. The next update is expected to be at 4 p.m. Thursday.
