Deer Park School Bond Falling Short

Wed., May 19, 1999

By Robin Rivers robinr@spokesman.com

Voters across Eastern Washington cast ballots in four special levy elections regarding school and fire district issues Tuesday.

A $5.9 million construction bond for the Deer Park School District appeared to be failing with 55 percent of the voters casting yes votes, 725 to 593. All of Tuesday’s measures needed 60 percent to pass.

Spokane County election officials said they expected at least 50 more absentee ballots to come in today, which could change the results.

The district, which lies in Spokane and Stevens counties, asked voters to consider a 20-year bond measure to build a new elementary school and expand Deer Park High School. The measure would cost an estimated $1.02 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

In Pend Oreille County, a two-year, $275,000-a-year operating levy was passing with 62.5 percent support, 429 to 257. About 200 vote-by-mail ballots hadn’t been returned Tuesday, but Auditor Ann Swenson didn’t expect to receive enough of them with valid postmarks to make a difference.

A two-year, $80,000-a-year operating levy also was passing in the Curlew School District in Ferry County. The measure had 61.5 percent support, 302 to 189. More than 300 vote-by-mail ballots hadn’t been received Tuesday, but election officials expected only a couple of dozen more to arrive with valid postmarks.

In the evening’s only nonschool item, an Oakesdale-Farmington Fire District 10 $103,821-tax levy appeared to have failed at the polls with 57.55 percent of the 140 voters casting yes votes. The measure also needed 60 percent to pass.

But, that outcome could change since 60 absentee ballots remained out late Tuesday, Whitman County election officials said.

The fire district asked voters to approve a levy equal to $2.20 or less per $1,000 of assessed valuation to finance two new fire stations in the towns of Oakesdale and Farmington.

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