Vote yes on Everett Schools bond; delaying projects will cost more later

Published 1:30 am Thursday, February 5, 2026

The Everett Public Schools bond has a strong values case and should also be evaluated on its merits as a capital investment.

Everett Public Schools delivers solid academic outcomes while serving a higher-need population than many peer districts. A worsening and unavoidable challenge is aging facilities and long-deferred capital expenditures. Continued reliance on portables and aging buildings accelerates deterioration and increases the cost and complexity of replacement.

For taxpayers concerned about affordability, the key comparison is straightforward: the cost of borrowing versus the cost of waiting. Construction costs have risen significantly in recent years and are likely to continue outpacing the district’s borrowing cost. Comparing total undiscounted bond payments to today’s construction cost is misleading; capital decisions must be evaluated on a discounted basis. When the rate of growth in construction costs exceeds the interest rate on bonds, deferring projects increases the total amount taxpayers ultimately pay.

At current market rates, school bonds provide long-term capital at a lower effective cost than delaying construction and paying more later. On purely financial grounds, approving the Everett school bond is the lower-cost option for taxpayers.

Roman Rewolinski

Parent and former Everett Public Schools board member

Everett