By Brian Kelly
Herald Writer
MARYSVILLE — Although most agree that classrooms are cramped in Marysville, those polled in a recent survey said putting a bond measure to pay for new and improved schools up for a vote in September would be a mistake.
School officials estimate they need more than $140 million to pay for a new high school, a new middle school, three new elementary schools and upgrades at existing facilities.
Marysville property owners may be asked to approve $110 million for the improvements, with state funds providing the rest.
But the lackluster economy and other issues highlighted in the recent poll may spell doom for the measure if it is put before voters this fall.
Steve Muller, co-chairman of the bonds committee for Citizens for Marysville Schools, said more information may be the answer.
"There was a lot of support for the bond issue, but there was a lack of information for them to commit to it," Muller said.
The campaign group is recommending that the district put the measure before voters in February. The school board has not yet decided when it will vote on a date.
Campaign organizers, however, hope the school board will consider breaking the $140 million package into separate components. That way, if voters don’t want to fund items such as upgrades at existing schools or improvements at the high school stadium, the proposal for a new high school or other facilities will still have a chance of passing.
"What you will probably see come to the table will be a referendum that gives the voter an option to vote for what they feel strongest about," Muller said.
"Look at the current economic picture out there. Had we run this three years ago, it probably would have been a much different path than we’re taking now," he said.
School supporters say the need is clear for building more schools and upgrading current ones. Student enrollment has climbed to roughly 11,700 and is expected to keep rising through 2008. Currently, the district is using more than 100 portable classrooms.
Most of those who responded to the poll agreed that Marysville’s classrooms are cramped: 46 percent said schools are very overcrowded, and another 27 percent said schools are somewhat overcrowded.
But less than a majority of those polled said they would vote for the measure. That’s especially troubling because the proposal would need a 60 percent supermajority vote of approval and 60 percent turnout to pass.
The survey discovered that only 47 percent would vote for the bond measure, and 35 percent said they would vote against it.
Cost considerations slightly changed the opinions of those polled.
When those surveyed were told that the bond measure would add $28 a month to the property tax bill for the owner of a $170,000 home, 46 percent said they would support the measure, while 40 percent said they would oppose it.
School supporters will have to say exactly where the new high school would be built before a majority of voters appear ready to support the plan. Roughly 44 percent said they would vote against the measure if the high school site wasn’t finalized before the vote; 41 percent said they’d vote yes even if the location wasn’t nailed down before the election.
Those surveyed were more certain about when the bond measure should be placed on the ballot; 52 percent supported a February trip to the polls, while 33 percent said to run the measure in September.
Approximately 250 voters were polled in the survey.
The district last passed a bond proposal in 1990, a $23 million measure that paid for two new elementary schools and other facility improvements.
You can call Herald Writer Brian Kelly at 425-339-3422 or send e-mail to kelly@heraldnet.com.
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