LAKEWOOD — Ballots are due Tuesday for special elections in the Lakewood and Edmonds school districts, where voters are deciding the fate of critical funding measures.
In Lakewood, voters are considering whether to restore a local property tax levy to pay for items not covered by the state, like athletics, drama and band, as well as smaller class sizes, specialized academic instruction and additional nurses.
Proposition 1 would bring back an Educational Program and Operations levy, which lapsed after voters rejected two more-costly levy proposals in 2020.
This year’s proposed levy would be in place for three years with an annual tax rate of $1.80 per $1,000 of assessed property value, starting in 2022. The levy voters turned down in August had a first-year tax rate of $2.11.
Proposition 1 would generate roughly $6.1 million in 2022, the first year of tax collections, and $19.5 million over the course of three years.
Voters in the Edmonds School District are considering a six-year, $180 million capital levy. The money would pay for maintenance, safety and security improvements on campuses, and replacement of Spruce and Oak Heights elementary schools.
As proposed, the tax rate would be 79 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2022. The rate is projected to decline to 68 cents by the final year.
Both measures require a simple majority for passage.
Ballots returned by mail do not require a stamp but must be postmarked by Tuesday to be counted. They also can be deposited in a designated ballot drop box.
And it is not too late to participate. State law allows a person to register and vote on the day of an election.
It must be done in person, between 8:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., at either the Snohomish County Auditor’s office, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., in Everett, or the accessible voting site at the Alderwood Water and Wastewater District, 3626 156th St. SW, in Lynnwood.
For more information, call the county elections office at 425-388-3444.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: jcornfield@heraldnet.com | @dospueblos
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