Imprisoned felon Robert Hill is slated to write the official statement opposing the Tacoma School District’s $500 million bond measure.
As of Wednesday, Hill was the only person who had signed up to write the “against” statement for the voters pamphlet. Appointments are made on a first-come, first-served basis, said County Auditor Julie Anderson.
“I don’t have any criteria for excluding him,” she said. Volunteers can put their names in through Saturday.
The Tacoma School Board appointed a committee to write a “for” statement but not one for opposing the measure on the Feb. 12 ballot.
State law requires the county auditor to make an effort to appoint up to three people to form an “against” committee when local jurisdictions don’t.
Hill, who goes by several monikers including “The Traveller,” is in the Pierce County Jail for causing a scene at a local bar. He is due to be released April 15, jail records show. Hill also spent time behind bars after being convicted of intimidating a judge.
In July, Pierce Transit’s board named Hill to a panel to write the official statement opposing the agency’s proposed tax increase. The agency then said the board would reconsider Hill’s appointment, but Hill subsequently withdrew his name from consideration. Voters narrowly defeated the transit agency’s proposed sales-tax increase in November.
If approved, Tacoma’s bond measure would fund more than a dozen new or remodeled schools.
The Auditor’s Office also seeks volunteers to prepare a voters pamphlet statement opposing the Puyallup School District’s $279.6 million bond measure in the Feb. 12 election. The Puyallup School Board appointed a “for” committee of one person but did not appoint an “against” committee. Its measure would help fund projects including a new elementary school and adding space at three traditional high schools.
Names of committee members for both districts and their contact phone numbers will be printed in the local voters pamphlet.
Those interested in writing the “against” statements must email their name, email address and phone number to pcvoterpamphlet@co.pierce.wa.us no later than Saturday.
Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647
steve.maynard@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/street
@TNTstevemaynard
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