Monroe district bus levy close to passing

Published 10:54 pm Friday, April 30, 2010

A tax measure to replace aging buses in Monroe that was part of Tuesday’s special election ballot is now passing.

The bus levy proposal nudged past the 50 percent mark when late-arriving ballots were counted later in the week. It stands at 50.23 percent, up from 49.31 on election night and it needs a simple majority to pass.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed on the buses,” said Rosemary O’Neil, a Monroe School District spokeswoman.

The two-year transportation levy would replace buses that are between 18 and 25 years old.

It would raise $800,000 over two years and cost 8 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That’s $24 on a $300,000 home. The plan is to seek two more two-year transportation levies over the next decade to upgrade the fleet and qualify for $5 million in state matching money.

The outcome of other five measures on the ballot did not change when additional ballots were counted.

An emergency services levy in Everett continues to pass with a 66.6 percent “yes” vote.

A $32 million school bond in Marysville is failing with a 52.4 percent “yes” vote, which was up 2 percent since election night. School bond measures require a 60 percent “yes” vote.

Voters in the tiny Index School District are passing a maintenance and operation levy with a 77.8 percent “yes” vote.

Two other school measures in Monroe also are failing.

A capital projects levy to upgrade technology and school buildings is falling short of the simple majority it needs. It has a 47.07 percent “yes” vote.

A $47.4 million bond to improve and expand schools also is failing with a 44.68 percent “yes” vote.

Garth Fell, the Snohomish County elections director, doesn’t expect to see much change in the totals when the final ballot count is done late next week.

There were just 45 uncounted ballots Friday, he said.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com