Spokane voters have given a tentative yes to ballot measures meant to expand and improve facilities at schools and parks. Washington voters approve a state constitutional amendment that will allow the state to invest money from the WA Cares long-term care fund.
For months, Spokane School Superintendent Adam Swinyard and city Parks Director Garrett Jones have been selling their agencies’ respective ballot measures as complementary. It appears the work to bill them as Together Spokane may have paid off.
On Tuesday, nearly 61% of the district’s patrons endorsed Spokane Public Schools’ $200 million bond issue, less than a percentage point more than the 60% supermajority required to pass. The outcome is still too close to call, but Swinyard says he’s optimistic the measure will pass.
“I think the Together Spokane initiative is very reflective of the feedback we heard from the community,” he said. “They wanted to see more value for every dollar. They wanted to see investments in all parts of our city across a variety of different areas and interests. And they want to see local government being smart and working together. And I think that has certainly resonated.”
The school bond issue would replace an expiring measure.
The Parks Department’s $240 million, 20-year property tax levy passed with nearly 55% of the vote, more than the needed simple majority.
Many of the proposed projects have both schools and parks components. For example, a renovation of Garry Middle School will be done in conjunction with upgrades in the facilities at adjacent Nevada Park. The two entities also propose to work together to build all-weather fields and add lights at several parks and high schools.
The school district and parks department will develop projects with a variety of outside organizations. They’ll work with Spokane Colleges to renovate the indoor swimming pool at Spokane Community College and turn it into a facility where children can take swim lessons and community members can do other aquatic activities. They also propose to partner with the U.S. Tennis Association to turn the tennis courts at Shadle Park into a year-round indoor facility. They also plan to build six outdoor learning facilities for school field trips and community use and develop a new park in the Latah Valley.
Separately, Spokane Public Schools plans to build a new Trades High School at Spokane Community College. Swinyard says that project was an easy sell to the public.
“Regardless of the stakeholder group, geographic, political, age, you name it, really strong support and excitement for the opportunity for our kids to graduate with a diploma and a two-year technical degree ready to enter the workforce debt-free,” he said.
Swinyard says, if the bond passes, the district will move quickly during the next two months to develop a timeline for the first round of projects. He says the district has begun the initial planning for the rebuild of Adams School, one of two elementary schools (Madison is the other) to be replaced. The district also plans to modernize North Central High School and Garry and Chase Middle Schools. It also plans dozens of smaller upgrades, at least one for every school.
The Parks Department plans major renovations at Minnehaha, Harmon and Grant Parks.
In other Spokane County ballot measures, patrons of Liberty Lake voted down an advisory measure that asks residents whether the city should find a funding source for a new community center and library. The measure received less than 45% support.
Voters in Medical Lake also said no to an advisory proposition. That asked voters whether they support banning the sale, possession and use of fireworks within city limits. About 46% said yes. Several other cities and towns in the county already ban fireworks within their borders. Deer Park and Airway Heights allow them on private property.
Voters in Rockford and Spangle agreed to tax themselves to pay for fire protection services. Spangle voters also approved a second measure for taxes for police protection.
At the state level, nearly 63% of Washington voters have approved an amendment to the state constitution that will allow the state to invest money from the WA Cares long-term care fund as a way to help grow and stabilize the new program.
Results will be official after Nov. 25 in Washington and Nov. 13 in Idaho.
WASHINGTON
Statewide
WA CARES
Yes (62.8%)
No (37.2%)
Spokane
TOGETHER SPOKANE MEASURES
SPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOND ISSUE
Yes (60.8%)
No (39.2%)
SPOKANE PARKS LEVY
Yes (54.8%)
No (45.2%)
Liberty Lake
Advisory election: Funding and Construction of a New Community Center and Library
Yes (44.7%)
No (55.3%)
Medical Lake
Advisory election: Sale, Possession, and Discharge of Consumer Fireworks
Yes (45.9%)
No (54.1%)
IDAHO
Shoshone County
Kellogg Jt School District Supplemental Levy
Yes (TK%)
No (TK%)
Wallace School District Supplemental Levy
Yes (TK%)
No (TK%)
