Ballots hit mail

Four issues will be on the 2,871 ballots mailed this evening, Thursday, for the April 27 special election. Ballots must be postmarked or hand-delivered to the Whitman County Auditor’s office by election day.

In addition to the closely-watched second levy request from the Colfax School District, voters in Garfield and the Colfax and Garfield Cemetery districts will be asked to approve funding measures.

Garfield is asking voters to approve the town’s $55,000 street maintenance and repair levy for 2011. The levy request is the same amount voters gave 72 percent approval to last year. The tax would be collected at an approximate rate of $2.64 per $1,000 assessed property value.

The Garfield Cemetery District is asking voters for a $25,000 levy for 2011 maintenance and operations at a rate of approximately $.45 per $1,000 assessed property value.

The cemetery district did not get a 2010 levy proposition on the ballot last year. Officials with the cemetery have sent a letter to residents in the district asking for donations to support this year’s operations.

The Colfax Cemetery District is asking voters for a $75,000 maintenance levy for 2011. Taxpayers would pay an estimated $.27 per $1,000 assessed property value.

The Colfax School District is asking for $950,000 for its 2011 levy and $975,000 from voters for the 2012 levy.

Voters shot down the district’s first proposal for a $1.3 million levy this year, setting off a series of city-wide meetings and campaigns for a second, more conservative levy.