Blaine school levy passing by 52.8 percent

By Oliver Lazenby

Second-day results from the April 24 special election show the Blaine school district’s $12 million, six-year capital projects and technology levy narrowly passing.

With 4,290 ballots counted, the levy was passing by 52.8 percent after the most recent count at 12:45 p.m. on April 25. It needs a 50 percent yes vote to pass.

The school district was seeking the levy to raise money for a variety of maintenance and replacement projects that the district said are too expensive for the school’s general fund.

The first projects the district plans to tackle with levy funds are building a new high school grandstand, installing field turf at the high school and purchasing property for a future Birch Bay school.

Other levy-funded work includes roofing, painting and flooring projects throughout the district, stage improvements for the Performing Arts Center, renovations at Pipeline Fields and technology upgrades throughout the district.

The results aren’t official until Friday, May 4. The school district would begin collecting money in 2019.

The capital projects and technology levy would cost taxpayers 51 cents per $1,000 of home value annually and raise $2 million a year from 2019 to 2024.

The district levy was the only issue on the special election ballot. The district’s maintenance and operations levy will also drop by 46 cents next year; that means district property owners will see a total rise in 5 cents per $1,000 in assessed value if the levy passes, or $12.50 annually for a house valued at $250,000.

For more information on voting results, visit results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/whatcom/.