Tacoma voted on a $650 million public school bond measure Tuesday. Here are results
Tacoma voters were approving a $650 million ballot bond measure to support public school upgrades and major renovations, according to early polling numbers.
As of a tally Wednesday around 2:30 p.m., 68.8% of voters cast ballots in favor of the measure, with 31.2% against. Voter turnout was about 27.4% with 37,457 ballots cast, according to the county Auditor’s Office.
If the measure holds its lead over the coming day, the average Tacoma homeowner can expect to pay about $7.53 more in taxes per month, or about $90 a year, as previously reported by The News Tribune. The cost for repaying the bond would be in addition to other taxes already assessed by Tacoma Public Schools. The next ballot count will be Thursday at 4 p.m.
Voters approved a $535 million bond in 2020 to replace or renovate eight aging neighborhood schools in the Tacoma Public School District, as well as safety, playground, technology and building upgrades.
“We are very thankful to the voters of Tacoma for supporting our kids and for ensuring that we’re able to keep providing the best learning environments possible,” Tanisha Jumper, the chief communications officer for the school district, told The News Tribune on Tuesday night. “We’re just so excited about being able to reinvest in our community and reinvest in our kids.”
Money raised by Proposition 1 would replace five deteriorating neighborhood schools: DeLong Elementary, the Industrial Design Engineering and Art High School, Point Defiance Elementary, Stanley Elementary and Whitman Elementary.
The proposal also calls for major renovations at Franklin Elementary, Hilltop Heritage Middle School, Silas High School, West End swing site (former Skyline Elementary), the Central Administrative Building and Professional Development Center.
Funding also would be used to finish roof and mechanical upgrades across the district, expand learning and classroom opportunities, upgrade several athletic fields and support health, safety and security upgrades, according to a Proposition 1 fact sheet posted by Tacoma Public Schools online.
Tacoma Public School officials told The News Tribune the upgrades are necessary investments that will better prepare students for their futures and support a more positive learning environment. Jay Doherty, who took the “against” position in the voter’s pamphlet, told The News Tribune the measure is too expensive on top on what voters already pay the district.
This story was originally published February 13, 2024 at 8:27 PM.
