School measures going down to defeat

School district officials and supporters gathered in the board room at the Administration Building on Tuesday night for what they had hoped would be a happy outcome.

They hazarded optimistic guesses and Deputy Superintendent Mike Newman wrote them on a board.

But in early returns of the first all-mail election in King County history, Auburn School District voters were rejecting by large margins both the $239 million construction bond that was to have paid for the replacement of three aging schools and the $46.4 million capital improvements levy aimed at funding improvements at 18 schools and six support facilities.

In the combined results of King and Pierce counties Tuesday, the bond, which required a supermajority of 60 percent to pass, garnered only 43.3 percent of the vote, with 4,577 voting yes and 5,993 no.

In the combined King and Pierce County results for the capital improvements levy, the result was nearly identical, 43.6 percent, or 4,625 yes to 5998 no. Levies require a simple majority of 50 percent plus one to pass.

The close outcomes of both elections told district officials that voters, mindful of the troubled economy, did not distinguish between building anew and fixing what the district already has, but saw both measures only as potential tax increases.

“I’m disappointed, but it’s a clear indication that the economy matters,” said Auburn School District Superintendent Kip Herren.

These results reflected 50 percent of the vote.

Supporters wondered if perhaps the district’s message got through, or indeed, whether it could have gotten through given the state of the economy.

“I don’t think people got the message that this was a very good time to pass this because they would get better bond rates and better construction rates,” said former Superintendent Linda Cowan.

Herren wondered if the district asked too much of voters at this time. He suggested it might even make sense to run the levy by itself at some future date.

“It means we’ve got to get a better idea of what people are thinking,” Herren said.

“I was worried about the bond, but I thought we would pass the levy, I really did,” said Ryan Anderson, co-chair of Auburn Citizens for Schools. “The bond scared me because of that 60 percent. In the 12 to 13 years I have been doing this, we’ve never had a problem getting the 50 percent.

“… Look at how close both elections are,” Anderson added. “That never happens. The consistent thing was the economy. What this tells me is that people said, ‘I’m not getting my taxes raised period.'”

That was exactly what prompted George, a customer at the Starting Gate Restaurant, to vote no. He said the school district must have been crazy to run the measures at this time.

“We are already taxed to the hilt,” declared the Auburn senior, who declined to give his last name.

School board member Ray Vefik voted yes despite being recently laid off.

“Even though I am unemployed, I voted yes because kids come first,” said Vefik.

With only 10,570 votes counted Tuesday, there was still some question whether there would be enough votes at the end of the process to validate the bond election. State law requires 40 percent of those who voted in the last general election to do so to constitute a valid election, about 12,330.

King County will certify the election March 27.

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EARLY NUMBERS

March 16 update

King County results

Proposition No. 1 — Bonds for replacement of Aging Schools – $239 million

Approved: 4876 44.44 percent

Rejected: 6095 55.56 percent

Proposition No. 2 — Capital Improvements Levy, $46.4 million

Yes: 4941 44.85 percent

No: 6076 55.15 percent

Pierce County Results