Gap tightens on measure to ease school levy passage

OLYMPIA – Nearly a week after Election Day, an effort to make passing school levies easier was gaining ground with the gap narrowing to just under 2,600 votes Monday.

With about 178,000 votes left to count, EHJR 4204 was too close to call, with 50 percent of voters rejecting it, but 49.9 percent approving it.

The amendment is aimed at eliminating the 60 percent supermajority required to approve special levies for local school districts. The rule is a decades-old limitation on voters’ power to tax property owners.

The measure was failing in all but five counties: King, San Juan, Thurston, Whatcom and Whitman. The measure was too close to call in Asotin, Snohomish and Spokane counties. No additional ballots were being counted Monday due to the Veterans Day holiday.

Supporters said the measure was needed to remove unfair hurdles to districts at risk of losing programs, but opponents said it would only raise property taxes without helping education.

During the past eight years, more than 100 school districts received majority approval of their levies, but not the required supermajority.

Schools are often able to rework the levies and get a passing vote on subsequent tries, but supporters of the measure said that costs money and disrupts districts’ programs and their ability to retain teachers.

The measure also was written to eliminate the state constitution’s requirement that school levy elections draw 40 percent voter turnout.

Last week, voters approved three other constitutional amendments: to create a “rainy day” fund to save 1 percent of state income each year to use during recession or disaster; to remove a barrier to private companies setting up businesses behind prison bars and using inmate labor; and to allow the state Investment Board to invest college permanent funds in the stock market, rather than just government securities and other low-yield investments.