MOST IN THE Port Angeles School District voted yes only once in initial returns Tuesday night, approving a two-year maintenance and operations levy but stopping far short of agreeing to fund a 25-year, $98.25 million bond to replace most of the high school.
The two-year maintenance and operations levy won a 62.40 percent approval, clearly passing, while the bond received only 48.99 percent approval.
In Sequim, an attempt to pass a 20-year, $49.26 million school construction bond also failed in initial results to garner the 60 percent supermajority needed for bond passage, but at 57.11 percent approval districtwide was much closer than the Port Angeles bond.
A six-year property tax levy for the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center — known by the arcronym SARC — at 610 N. Fifth Ave. was shy of the 60 percent supermarjority needed for passage, with 57.16 percent approval.
A Forks Community Hospital six-year emergency medical care and services levy overwhelmingly passed, with a 65.17 percent approval.
The Clallam County Auditor’s Office on Tuesday night counted 21,128 ballots out of 45,156 mailed to registered voters, for a voter turnout of 46.95 percent in special elections for five property tax measures.
Auditor Shoona Riggs said all ballots received by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday were counted that night.
She expected about 500 more to come in during the week.
Next count by Friday
The next scheduled count will be no later than 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office on Tuesday counted 9,738 ballots out of 20,135 mailed to registered voters, for an election night turnout of 48.34 percent.
None of the measures on either ballot was countywide, so only voters in the specific jurisdictions received ballots.
Clallam County tax measures before voters were two proposed bonds and two levy questions, each of which require 60 percent for passage as well as 40 percent voter turnout based on the number of votes cast in the Nov. 4 general election.
School levies require only simple majorities for passage.
Of the 19,127 ballots mailed to registered voters in the Port Angeles School District, 8,532 had been received for a voter turnout of 44.60 percent.
In the Sequim School District, 21,649 ballots were mailed in Clallam County and 11,615 returned for a 53.65 percent turnout. In Jefferson County, 280 ballots were mailed and 141 returned for a 50.36 percent turnout.
In the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center district, 21,649 ballots were mailed and 11,615 returned for a 53.65 percent turnout.
In the Forks Community Hospital District, 4,229 ballots were mailed, 981 returned, and turnout was 23.19 percent.
The campaign for the two Port Angeles School District measures urged voters to “vote yes twice,” and said “we are all Riders” referring to the high school Roughriders.
PA bond measure
The bond proposal was especially controversial.
The school district sought the money to fund the replacement of most of 10 buildings of the high school at 304 E. Park Ave., and refurbish the auditorium.
Proponents pointed to the age of the buildings. Six of the 10 buildings on the campus were built in 1953, two in 1958 and two in 1978.
They described classrooms and hallways with holes in the roofs, tap water made undrinkable because of rusted pipes, defective heaters so loud students cannot hear their teachers and buildings riddled with asbestos.
Opponents said the bond would be too great a burden on taxpayers, and advocated repairs or, if replacement were essential, using prefabricated buildings.
Steve Methner, the head of the pro-levy Port Angeles Citizens for Education, said that many of the high school buildings, which opened in 1953, are too far gone to be renovated.
Shelley Taylor of Port Angeles said that the approximate $500 per $1,000 that the taxpayer would spend on the bond and the district’s maintenance and operation levy combined could make a big difference for those who live on a fixed income.
She said the state should address school funding rather than individual districts funding construction and operations piecemeal through levies and bond issues.
The bond would cost property owners an estimated $2.06 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, based on 2014 property values.
Two Port Angeles bonds costing a total of $0.46 per $1,000 of assessments — one for the construction of Dry Creek Elementary School and another for the remodelling of Jefferson Elementary School — will expire at the end of this year, meaning taxpayers would see a difference of $1.60 per $1,000 on their 2016 tax bills, rather than the full $2.06.
It would cost the owner of a $200,000 home $320 per year more than the current tax rate, or a total of $412 per year.
The most recent estimate for the interest over the life of the bond is $55 million, figured at a rate of 3.43 percent.
PA levy
The maintenance and operation levy, which would replace a four-year levy that expires in December, would cost taxpayers an estimated $3.26 per $1,000 of valuation.
The levy rate in 2013 — the rate at which taxes were collected in 2014 — was $3.23 per $1,000 assessed valuation.
The levy would collect $8.6 million in 2016 and $8.8 million in 2017.
It would pay for utilities, student transportation, extracurricular activities, health services, maintenance, technology, career technical education and basic education.
Sequim school district
The Sequim School District’s proposal was its second attempt to pass a school construction bond.
In April, voters rejected a $154 million bond proposal.
The school district cut down its wish list to arrive at a $49.5 million, 20-year bond proposal to fund a new elementary school to replace Helen Haller, new classrooms at Greywolf Elementary and Sequim High schools, and renovations to Sequim Community School.
Supporters said that many of the schools do not have enough space for all of the students and that much of the science lab and kitchen equipment is so old it can’t be repaired.
The bond would cost an estimated 63 cents per $1,000 of property valuation, or $126 a year for the owner of a $200,000 home.
Currently the district has a $1.61 per $1,000 maintenance and operations levy, for a total district tax rate of $2.23 per $1,000 assessed valuation.
The Sequim school bond question appeared on ballots in both Clallam and Jefferson ballots since a small number of voters in the Sequim district live in the Jefferson County town of Gardiner.
The district has estimated $31.5 million in interest payments over the life of the bond, figured on a 4.98 percent rate as a worst-case scenario.
SARC levy
The six-year SARC levy would be 12 cents or less per $1,000 of assessed valuation beginning in 2016.
The recreational facility — which includes pools, saunas and work-out equipment along with basketball and racquetball courts — was built with public money in 1988 and run for the first 13 years with funds as a junior taxing district.
Since then, the facility has relied on reserves, which will fall below $350,000 in 2016, supporters said.
If the present levy is passed, it would be the first public money the 27-year-old recreational facility has used since 2003.
A 12-cent levy would add about $26.04 to the annual property tax bill of the owner of a $217,000 house.
It would generate about $416,000 for each of the next six years.
Proponents said the money is needed to replace the heating and cooling system, repair vinyl siding and the roof and reinforce the pool shell, as well as to improvement energy usage, cover an annual shortfall and keep fees affordable.
Forks Community Hospital
The Forks Community Hospital’s emergency medical care and services levy would replace one that expires Dec. 31.
Property taxes would rise no more than 24 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, beginning with taxes payable in 2016.
It will pay for emergency medical care or services in the district, including personnel and training costs, equipment, supplies, vehicles and structures.
