School levies passing, bond still just short

Replacement levies in the Mary M. Knight and Grapeview school districts were passing on the first special election ballot count Tuesday evening, and the Hood Canal School District’s proposed $33.5-million building bond was falling short of the 60% super majority.

The proposition for Mason County to increase sales and use tax of two-tenths of 1% to provide ongoing money to buy, design, equip, repair, operate and improve the 911 emergency communication services was passing with 67.13%. Initial voter turnout was 31.55%.

The results of the second count were scheduled to be released at 4 p.m. Wednesday, after the Journal went to press. The Journal will have the updated numbers on its website. The election is scheduled to be certified Feb. 23.

The Hood Canal School District’s $33.5-million building bond garnered 56.84% in the first count, short of the 60% required. The same bond proposal fell 45 votes short of passing in the November general election with 58.1%.

The new proposed collection would be $1.05 per $1,000 of assessed property value, compared with $1.16 in the November request.

The building bond would create space for preschool classrooms, an Americans with Disablilties Act-accessible playground, arts, music and science, and replace a 70-year-old transportation facility.

“Our team ran a strong campaign and saw more community support and engagement than most can remember,” Superintendent Lance Gibbon wrote to the Journal. “This bodes well for the future of our school and is a wonderful foundation to build upon for everything that our students need. The positive stories about our school are rapidly spreading and that’s not going to stop. I’m convinced the best years Hood Canal has ever seen are immediately ahead.

“With all that is positive, it’s heartbreaking that a minority of voters in our community were able to deny our students educational opportunities they deserve, despite the majority of community members showing their support for our students and our little school. Our Legislature is again re-examining the 60% super- majority requirement, which most states have long since abandoned. We are the poster child for this issue, having three times received over 55% support in bond elections. We are pushing hard for change.”

Gibbon added, “Nevertheless, we have positive momentum and this will not get in the way. We have some difficult decisions ahead as a result of limited space, but we are a team of resilient, resourceful, creative overcomers that always do the best with what they have.”

Mary M. Knight’s replacement levy was passing with 54.83% with 193 “yes” votes and 159 “no” votes, which includes 21 ballots cast in Grays Harbor County. District voters are being asked to replace an expiring educational programs and operations (EP&O) levy that was approved by voters in 2022.

Passage of the levy by a simple majority for 2024-26 will raise more than $2.5 million. The replacement levy will collect $730,500 in 2025 and $818,200 in 2026. The district is also eligible for more than $1 million in state-funded levy equalization money.

The current levy rate for 2022 through 2024 is $2.33 per $1,000 of assessed home value. The new rate drops to $2.08 per $1,000.

A district flyer to residents points out that property taxes are the primary funding source for public schools in the state. Most of the funding comes from statewide taxes, which provide for the basic education money that each district receives. This state funding supports 86% of the district costs. In its flyer, the district states that it starts by leveraging state, federal and grant money before seeking funding locally.

Mary M. Knight is among 99 districts in the state that qualify for the state equalization money.

“The community and the voters of the Mary M. Knight School District have a long history of supporting the school district and are continuing that tradition of supporting the district with the passage of the current EP&O levy,” Superintendent Matt Mallery wrote to the Journal. “On behalf of myself and the Mary M. Knight Board of Directors, we say thank you to our community and voters for their continued support of the Mary M. Knight School District.”

The Grapeview School District’s levy was passing with 63.13% with 637 “yes “votes and 372 “no” votes. District voters are replacing an expiring levy that will tax property 63 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, the same as the levy that is expiring. The levy will collect $946,724 in 2025, $990,095 in 2026, $1,024,570 in 2027 and $1,042,216 in 2028.

The local levy tax pays for 20% of the district’s budget. The rest comes from the state (66%), the federal government (13%) and local money that is not tax (1%).

The levy dollars help pay for curriculum materials, library and art programs, intervention services, the health and fitness program, technology, sports, field trips and afterschool programs and to maintain class sizes. It also helps pay to maintain facilities, safety and security, food and transportation services, and payments to the North Mason and Shelton school districts to educate their students beyond the eighth grade.

The McCleary School District’s proposed two-year replacement levy was passing with 63.32%, including 15 ballots cast in Mason County. The Elma School District’s proposed two-year replacement levy was also passing with 52.48%, including 101 votes cast in Mason County.