ARLINGTON — School funding took a hit Tuesday night as voters appeared to vote down three ballot measures in Snohomish County.
In Washington, a capital levy needs a simple majority to pass. A bond, meanwhile, needs 60% voter approval to move forward.
A capital levy to construct a new middle school in Arlington, which needed a simple majority to pass, appeared on its way to defeat. Initial returns showed the levy was failing, with only 44.6% voting to approve the measure. Arlington voters rejected a school bond measure earlier this year. So far, 11,867 ballots have been counted.
In Lake Stevens, voters were defeating a 20-year, $314 million bond measure that would have built a new elementary school and modernize other buildings throughout the district. It also would have made, “district-wide safety, security, health, educational, athletic and infrastructure improvements,” the ballot measure stated.
It was close, with 56.2% of the ballots showing approval for the measure. So far, 17,661 ballots had been counted in that election.
Some schools in the district are in dire straits, including Glenwood Elementary, which doesn’t have doors and curtains divide classrooms. Growth has been an issue — in the past eight years, population has jumped 18% in the district’s boundaries and enrollment increased 9.7%.
Roofing, heating, ventilation, plumbing and fire protection systems are approaching the end of their lives at schools throughout the district.
In Sultan, another attempt to raise money for schools also appeared to fail Tuesday. The measure grabbed 46.9% of the vote, which needs 60% to pass. There have been 5,344 total votes counted.
The $79 million bond would have matured after 21 years, according to the ballot measure.
The bond sought money to build a new elementary school on land the district purchased in February from the state. The school district bought the 49-acre parcel for $455,000. The money came from impact fees from local home construction, state officials said earlier this year.
Bond money would have also gone to modernizing Gold Bar Elementary and converting Sultan Elementary School to serve grades 5 and 6.
More results are expected to come in the next few days.
Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; X: @jordyhansen.
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