Nine Mile Falls Bond On Ballot Today

Nine Mile Falls voters are being asked to approve a property tax hike today to pay for a new middle school.

The $6.5 million bond issue proposal on Tuesday’s ballot would help the district ease overcrowding at its current middle school, according to Superintendent Don Baumberger.

The bond issue would increase property taxes about $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. State money would also be used to pay for the building, which would be located on a 30-acre site off Highway 291 in Suncrest.

The district built Lakeside High School and Middle School six years go. But an influx of students has boosted class sizes to about 30 and caused administrators to freeze class offerings for lack of classrooms.

Regardless of sentiments toward the proposal, the district will be challenged to recruit enough voters to validate the February election. At least 40 percent of Nine Mile Falls residents who cast ballots in the Nov. 5 presidential election must vote Tuesday. That means a total of 1,138 votes must be cast.

, DataTimes