Enrollment’s flat, and $535 million is big money. But Tacoma school bond gets ‘yes’ from us
When public school boosters seek support for multi-million-dollar bond measures, there’s one overriding need they usually lay before voters — relief from overcrowding caused by explosive Puget Sound growth.
From Bethel to Puyallup to the Peninsula, suburban bond campaign organizers in recent years have emphasized, with mixed success, their steadily rising K-12 student populations.
That’s not the case for Tacoma Public Schools. Enrollment is flat in the South Sound’s largest school district, ranging from a high of 30,616 students five years ago to a low of 30,240 last year.
Reasons other than growth are needed to persuade Tacoma voters to approve a $535 million capital bond measure in the February special election.
TPS bond leaders have clearly spelled out those reasons — deteriorating buildings, deficient security and inequities between neighborhood schools — while crafting a focused package of improvements.
We believe voters should say “yes” to Proposition 1 and continue their generous support of the urban school district.
In 2013, the last time a school bond appeared on the Tacoma ballot, the response was more favorable than anyone could’ve predicted. It passed with 71 percent of the vote.
To reach those heights again would be impressive, but 60 percent would do just as well; that’s the supermajority threshold required for school bonds under state law.
The 2013 package totaled $500 million and was spread across 14 major school projects. This time, the cost is marginally more, the number of big projects considerably less. The bond would cover replacements or major renovations at eight schools.
Welcome to the brave new world of steel, glass, lumber and labor. Fueled by the tech boom, the Seattle-Tacoma metro area consistently has some of the highest construction costs in the U.S.. If school projects are delayed now, however, the taxpayer bill will only multiply.
A TPS needs assessment a few years ago identified $2 billion of deferred work. This proposal represents a manageable chunk; it’s centered on six elementary schools (Downing, Bryant Montessori, Fawcett, Lowell, Skyline and Whittier); one middle school (Hunt phase II); and one high school (Oakland alternative). At an average age of 69 years, these eight buildings are well past their prime.
The bond would also address assorted age-related problems around the district, such as leaking roofs and failing HVAC systems.
Also on the to-do list are district-wide security advancements, including cameras, card readers and controlled access points. “In some buildings from the 1940s and ‘50s, you can walk in and nobody’s going to challenge you because they don’t know you’re there,” said Morris Aldridge, TPS director of planning and construction, in a meeting with our Editorial Board.
Finally, voters will have a chance to bring equity to neighborhoods where students may feel overlooked. The bond would distribute funds to nine athletic court and field projects. Among them: Lincoln Bowl, the classic stadium that hasn’t seen improvements on par with other Tacoma high school venues. And Giaudrone Middle School, which still has a cinder track long after other schools switched to rubber surfaces.
If the bond is approved, the owner of a $300,000 home would pay about $81.48 a year. At $6.79 a month, you might hear boosters compare it to the price of a few lattes. We won’t be so glib because for folks on fixed incomes, that’s real money.
But spending on schools is like investing in your home: Just because the family has downsized or isn’t growing doesn’t mean you can forget about upkeep and upgrades.
And when school districts let conditions slide? Mayor Victoria Woodards, who sits on the bond committee, didn’t mince words: “When you put kids in a crappy school,” she told us,” that’s how they feel they’re treated.”
Proposition 1 promises safety, dignity and a measure of equity for Tacoma students. Those are key reasons why we endorse it on the Feb. 11 ballot.