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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Valley Says To Schools Voters In All 3 Districts Approve First Construction Bonds In At Least Eight Years

Voters in all three Spokane Valley school districts Tuesday ended a long dry spell of construction bond failures, with partial results showing more than 70 percent approval.

“We’re pouring champagne and you can quote me on that,” said West Valley Superintendent Dave Smith. “We’ve waited a long time for this.”

All three districts passed their operations levies as well, assuring schools of roughly a fifth of their operating budgets for the next two years.

These are the first construction bonds Spokane Valley voters have passed in at least eight years.

“The people in Central Valley want to have a community that can point to its schools as a strength,” said Wally Stanley, Central Valley School District acting superintendent. He and Central Valley campaign organizer Chuck Hafner agreed that an unusual cross-section of the community became involved in this campaign.

Central Valley’s $23.28 million bond will build an elementary school at Liberty Lake, renovate Bowdish Junior High and handle several smaller projects around the district.

West Valley’s $4.2 million bond will add 16 classrooms to the district’s elementary schools.

East Valley’s $11.97 million bond will add at least 16 classrooms to existing schools, renovate Trent Elementary School and do several other remodeling projects around the district.

“If this (bond passes), it’s because of the outstanding community involvement,” said East Valley Superintendent Chuck Stocker. “I’m talking (about) the parents and staff that have put this thing over the top.”

Said Smith: “I think the community is telling us if we listen and keep things in perspective to what they can afford … they’re very supportive of schools.”

Bonds and school levies require a minimum 60 percent yes vote. They also require a turnout of at least 40 percent of the last general election.

Despite Tuesday’s rain, sloppy roads and icy parking lots, more than enough voters to validate the elections turned out in all three Valley districts.

Following are the amounts of the operations levies passed by Spokane Valley school districts. These levies would replace taxes voters approved two years ago:

Central Valley voters passed a $19.5 million levy.

West Valley voters OK’d a $7.5 million levy.

East Valley voters approved an $8.98 million levy.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Ballot results

MEMO: These 2 sidebars appeared with the story:

1. CALL FOR RESULTS For late Spokane County election returns, call Cityline at 458-8800 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9494 to reach the election hotline. Pressing 1 will give you late returns for the county library levy and all school district elections outside the Valley. Pressing 2 will give you late returns for levy and bond issue elections in the three Valley school districts.

2. ELECTION RESULTS Here are results from Tuesday’s voting. Levies must receive at least 60 percent approval to pass. In addition, in most cases the number of ballots cast must total at least 40 percent of the ballots cast in the last general election. Sufficient ballots were cast in these races, unless otherwise noted.

Stevens County Kettle Falls School District Operations levy (Includes Ferry County votes) yes 376 (80.7%) no 90 (19.3%)

Pend Oreille County Newport School District Operations levy (Includes Spokane County votes) yes 628 (61.8%) no 388 (38.2%)

Selkirk School District Operations levy yes 293 (71.6%) no 116 (28.4%)

Lincoln County Reardan-Edwall School District Operations levy (Includes Spokane County votes) yes 329 (60%) no 214 (40%)

Odessa School District Operations levy (Includes Grant and Adams county votes) yes 336 (70.1%) no 143 (29.9%)

Odessa Hospital Dist. No. 1 Operations levy yes 353 (69.5%) no 155 (30.5%)

Ferry County Republic School District Operations levy (Includes Okanogan County votes) yes 318 (52.2%) no 291 (47.8%)

Whitman County Pullman School District Operations levy yes………………1563 (83.3%) no………………..313 (16.7%)

Colfax School District Operations levy yes 659 (85.9%) no 108 (14.1%)

St. John School District Operations levy (Includes Spokane County votes) yes 223 (79.3%) no 60 (20.7%)

Town of St. John Street improvements and maintenance tax yes 155 (90.1%) no 17 (9.9%)

Town of St. John Sewer Upgrade and Capital improvements tax yes………………. 160 (92%) no………………….14 (8%)

Endicott School District Operations levy yes 115 (78.7%) no 31 (28.2%)

Town of Endicott Library maintenance tax yes 77 (81.1%) no 18 (18.9%)

Street improvement and maintenance tax yes 82 (85.4%) no 14 (14.6%)

Sewer construction and maintenance tax yes 84 (87.5%) no 12 (12.5%)

These 2 sidebars appeared with the story:

1. CALL FOR RESULTS For late Spokane County election returns, call Cityline at 458-8800 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9494 to reach the election hotline. Pressing 1 will give you late returns for the county library levy and all school district elections outside the Valley. Pressing 2 will give you late returns for levy and bond issue elections in the three Valley school districts.

2. ELECTION RESULTS Here are results from Tuesday’s voting. Levies must receive at least 60 percent approval to pass. In addition, in most cases the number of ballots cast must total at least 40 percent of the ballots cast in the last general election. Sufficient ballots were cast in these races, unless otherwise noted.

Stevens County Kettle Falls School District Operations levy (Includes Ferry County votes) yes 376 (80.7%) no 90 (19.3%)

Pend Oreille County Newport School District Operations levy (Includes Spokane County votes) yes 628 (61.8%) no 388 (38.2%)

Selkirk School District Operations levy yes 293 (71.6%) no 116 (28.4%)

Lincoln County Reardan-Edwall School District Operations levy (Includes Spokane County votes) yes 329 (60%) no 214 (40%)

Odessa School District Operations levy (Includes Grant and Adams county votes) yes 336 (70.1%) no 143 (29.9%)

Odessa Hospital Dist. No. 1 Operations levy yes 353 (69.5%) no 155 (30.5%)

Ferry County Republic School District Operations levy (Includes Okanogan County votes) yes 318 (52.2%) no 291 (47.8%)

Whitman County Pullman School District Operations levy yes………………1563 (83.3%) no………………..313 (16.7%)

Colfax School District Operations levy yes 659 (85.9%) no 108 (14.1%)

St. John School District Operations levy (Includes Spokane County votes) yes 223 (79.3%) no 60 (20.7%)

Town of St. John Street improvements and maintenance tax yes 155 (90.1%) no 17 (9.9%)

Town of St. John Sewer Upgrade and Capital improvements tax yes………………. 160 (92%) no………………….14 (8%)

Endicott School District Operations levy yes 115 (78.7%) no 31 (28.2%)

Town of Endicott Library maintenance tax yes 77 (81.1%) no 18 (18.9%)

Street improvement and maintenance tax yes 82 (85.4%) no 14 (14.6%)

Sewer construction and maintenance tax yes 84 (87.5%) no 12 (12.5%)