Special election preliminary results show few school levies failing

EPHRATA — Preliminary results were in Tuesday night for a special election, which saw a handful of communities across the region casting ballots on school levies and tax increases.

The next ballot count will be Friday and votes will be certified on Feb. 18 in Grant and Adams counties.

In Soap Lake, voters approved a 10-year, 0.02% sales tax increase to fund street improvements throughout the city, with 146 votes in favor and 81 votes against. The measure needed 50% plus one vote to pass.

“This outcome confirms the voting majority wants our streets to be a budget priority,” said Soap Lake Mayor Alex Kovach. “These new revenues will continue to keep the city competitive in getting awarded street improvement grants, pushing the city ahead of its current maintenance deficit. There comes a great responsibility with these dollars, and it's now on the city to follow through with a maintenance and improvement schedule that gets the city the biggest return on this investment from the community. I look forward to seeing the city streets take shape over the coming years.”

Voters in the Coulee-Hartline School District in Grant County approved 246 votes to 94 a two-year, $1.50-per-$1,000 in assessed value replacement maintenance and operation enrichment levy intended to raise roughly $350,000 each year in 2023 and 2024.

Voters in the Grant County portion of the Wilson Creek School District approved by a vote of 83 to 30 a replacement educational programs and operation levy for two years beginning in 2023 of $2.50-per-$1,000 in assessed value intended to pay for education programs and operations not covered by state funding.

In the Royal School District, voters approved by a vote of 315 to 212 a two-year educational programs and operation replacement levy of $1.61 per $1,000 in assessed value for 2023 and $1.59 for 2024. The measure is intended to raise roughly $1.37 million each year to pay for school programs not covered by state funding. The vote requires a bare majority, 50% plus one, to pass.

Royal School District Superintendent Roger Trail expressed gratitude for the community's support.

“We are so thankful for all those who chose to show up with their support for Royal’s schools and youth,” Trail wrote in an email. “I am so proud that our schools have stayed open and going strong all school year, and that wouldn’t be possible without the community behind us.”

In the Grant County portion of the Grand Coulee Dam School District, voters rejected 315 to 222 a four-year, $2.50 of $1,000 of assessed value replacement educational programs and operation levy intended to raise around $900,000 in 2023 and 2024 and $1 million in 2025 and 2026.

Voters in the Grant County portion of the Grand Coulee Dam School District also rejected 294 to 209 a replacement capital levy for safety, technology and facilities improvements. The tax levy rate required was estimated to be $1.70 per $1,000 of assessed value and would have continued funding safety, technology and facilities improvements throughout existing school facilities.

By a vote of 504 to 379, Othello School District voters in Adams County rejected a $51 million capital bond request for upgrades to Othello High School, McFarland Middle School and Lutacaga, Hiawatha and Scootney Springs elementary schools. The money would have been used to expand classroom space at OHS, as well as add a third gym. Classrooms would have been added at MMS, and gyms at the three elementary schools.

Ed Petersen, OSD’s director of communications, said Tuesday’s results were not what district officials were hoping to see. But there are still ballots left to be counted, he said, so district officials will be watching the updates. Whether to put the proposal before voters again will be up to the Othello School Board, and board members will have a lot of factors to consider before making a decision, he said.

Wahluke School District voters rejected 243 to 224 a two-year educational programs and operation (EP&O) levy. The levy would have generated $2.23 million in 2023 and $2.35 million in 2024. Property owners would’ve paid $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value both years. Because it’s a school educational programs and operation levy, it required a bare majority, 50% plus one vote, to pass.

Quincy School District voters in Grant County approved 929 to 587 a replacement educational programs and operation levy to collect $1.25 per $1,000 of assessed value from property owners. The money is expected to raise up to $8.4 million in 2023, $8.6 million in 2024, $8.9 million in 2025, and $9.1 million in 2026 for educational programs and operations not fully funded by the state, such as extracurricular activities.