(The Center Square) – A majority of voters living in Spokane County will likely be asked to consider at least one measure or proposition when ballots get mailed out later this month for special elections slated Feb. 13.
In all, county elections officials have put together a sample ballot that features 26 separate propositions, including 13 area school districts seeking voter approval of property tax levies for educational programs and operations that would replace existing levies expiring at the end of 2024.
Those school districts include Central Valley, Cheney, Deer Park, East Valley, Freeman, Great Northern, Liberty, Mead, Medical Lake, Nine Mile Falls, Riverside, Spokane and West Valley.
Additionally, voters in the Central Valley, Cheney, Freeman, Liberty and Medical Lake school districts will be asked to okay a second levy proposal to fund security, infrastructure, and technology improvements.
Under state law, public school districts only need simple-majority votes to pass local property tax funding levies, which can range from one to four years in length and annually collect up to $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation within a district. Levy dollars support school functions that are not directly paid by the state. These include sports and extracurricular activities, security, technology, transportation, food services, facility maintenance, and staff training, and such programs as College in the High School.
Levy passage is also needed for school districts which qualify for “levy equalization assistance” from the state. Additional funds are provided to “property poor” districts which have lower overall assessed valuations — but only if their levies are approved.
Five school districts have also proposed long-term, multi-million-dollar bond sales to finance new construction and renovation projects. Those districts are Cheney ($72 million with repayment over 21 years), Deer Park ($62 million, 21 years), Riverside ($73 million, 25 years), Spokane ($200 million, 20 years) and West Valley ($92 million, 21 years).
For passage, bond measures need a minimum 60% approval vote plus “turnout validation” representing at least 40% of the total number of people who cast ballots within the district during the last general election.
In addition to the various school funding proposals, voters – depending on their location within the county – will decide several other propositions on Feb. 13. Among them:
The City of Spokane has two measures on the ballot. Measure 1 calls for a three-year property tax levy starting in 2025 for continued funding of public library operations. If approved, the measure will replace an existing levy which expires Dec. 31 while maintaining the current collection rate of 7 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation. For the owner of a median-priced home of $418,000, the cost would be about $28 per year. The current levy – approved by voters in 2017 – comprises about 18% of the library system’s operations costs. Measure 2 will ask voters to amend Spokane’s current city charter for redistricting of current council position boundaries to reflect population changes and provide equal representation.Spokane County Fire District No. 5, located in the northwest part of the county, is seeking simple-majority approval to restore its regular property tax levy to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed population beginning in 2025, then allowing annual increases of 1% or the annual federal consumer price index, whichever is greater, over five subsequent years. Currently, the assessment rate is about 55 cents per $1,000 of property valuation. In a resolution, officials say the “levy lid lift” is needed to provide and maintain fire and emergency medical operations due to inflation and a growing population within the district.The town of Fairfield and adjacent Spokane County Fire District No. 2 have mutual agreement proposals that would allow annexation of the community into the district for fire protection and emergency services. Fairfield has about 600 residents and is located about 30 miles southeast of Spokane. The annexation request requires simple-majority approval by voters both within the town and the fire district.
Ballots will be mailed out by Jan. 26 to start an 18-day voting period which ends at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
