Puyallup election results: Here’s where voters stand on safety building, school funding
Although results for Puyallup’s special election are days away from being certified, voters are rejecting two of the three measures on the ballot.
Proposition No. 1: Public Safety Facilities
As of Feb. 10, the public safety building proposition had 4,557 votes or about 56.6 percent of the vote. It needs 60 percent to pass.
“At this point, the City is going to have to go back to the drawing board on this project and determine the path forward as the critical need for the facility remains. We encourage residents to stay informed about this project by visiting our website, social media, and attending public meetings,” city officials wrote in a statement.
If voters approved the proposition, the city’s police department, jail and Municipal Court would reside altogether in a new building at 600 39th Ave. SE. There would also be a police substation on the first floor of City Hall.
Puyallup homeowners who live in a median-priced house would pay about $17.80 per month or $214 per year in property taxes for 25 years, The News Tribune reported. The total cost for the project is $81 million.
This isn’t the first time the project has gone before voters. If the measure had passed in the November 2021 election, the average homeowner would have paid about $20 per month or $240 per year. The total cost of the project then was $82.7 million, The News Tribune reported.
City staff told The News Tribune the public safety building on South Hill would help with space and maintenance issues the police department and municipal court have been experiencing in recent years.
Proposition No. 1 and 2: Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy and Capital Levy
As of Feb. 10, the Puyallup School District’s proposition for a replacement educational programs and operations levy has 11,511 votes or about 50.2 percent of the vote. The capital levy proposition has 11,105 votes or about 48.5 percent of the vote.
Both propositions need a simple majority, or 50 percent plus one, to pass.
The school district is “cautiously optimistic” and “incredibly grateful” for voters who approved the levies, school district spokesperson Sarah Gillispie wrote in an email. The district will “anxiously” monitor results as they come, she wrote.
“This election does not change the fact that we remain committed to providing exceptional learning experiences and spaces to the best of our ability. In the unfortunate event one of these measures don’t pass, however, we will be faced with making some very difficult decisions,” Gillispie wrote.
The school district may have fewer staff, larger class sizes and limited activities and programs for students if the EP&O levy does not pass, according to the district’s website. If the capital levy does not pass, the district must look at “other ways” to repair and replace infrastructure needs.
The educational programs and operations levy helps pay for day-to-day operations, unfunded salaries and school programs, The News Tribune reported. The levy makes up about 15 percent of the district’s total revenue.
If approved, the average Puyallup homeowner would pay $2.49 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2023 and $2.46 in 2024-26. The school district would collect about $267 million total by 2026.
The capital levy helps pay for school infrastructure upgrades and repairs. Some of the needed improvements include fire alarm upgrades, audio enhancement systems and lighting controls, The News Tribune reported.
If approved, the average Puyallup homeowner would pay $0.82 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2023, $0.79 in 2024, $0.75 in 2025, $0.72 in 2026, $0.70 in 2027 and $0.67 in 2028, The News Tribune reported. The school district would collect about $125 million total by 2028.
The next round of election results is expected to drop at 4:30 p.m. Friday on the Pierce County Auditor’s Office website. Results will be certified on Feb. 18.
