Special election ballots crest 18,000

Count of ballots which will be mailed out Friday by the elections office for the Feb. 9 special election is now more than 18,000. The tally for Pullman, which will be asked to decide on a $23.5 million bond issue over 20 years for construction of a new elementary school, is at 11,673. Increasing enrollment and reduction of class sizes are cited by the district as the reasons for requesting the school construction bond measure.

Pullman district is also requesting voters to approve a four-year special levy for operations to replace the current levy. The district requests a special levy of $5.3 million for 2017 and 2018 and $5.5 million for 2019 and 2020. Estimated levy rate is $2.75 for $1,000 assessed valuation in 2017 and 2019, and $2.70 in 2018 and $2.69 in 2020.

Colfax district will seek a maintenance and operations levy of $1,275,000 for 2017 at an estimated rate of $3.14 per $1,000 of assessed valuation and $1,300,000 in 2018 at an assessed rate of $3.16. Several other school districts, two park districts and Fire District 6 in Endicott also have measures on the ballot.

Tekoa’s Parks and Recreation levy proposal for $160,000 is intended to be a one-year levy to fund two years of operation of the Tekoa swim pool and parks. The funding measure was placed back on the ballot after the district’s $85,000 proposal for 2016 revenue failed by one vote to get 60 percent approval from voters in the Nov. 10 election.

The $160,000 proposal, if approved, would be for tax collection in 2017. If voters approve the levy, the park board intends to get financing to provide funds for operations this year. Actual revenue from the levy would begin in April of 2017, and part of the funds would be used to pay off the financing for the 2016 operation, according to park board member Shannon McHargue.

The $160,000 total represents a $10,000 cut for parks revenue which the board plans to make up through cost saving measures. Operations for last year included $12,100 for parks and $76,400 for the pool plus $3,400 for administration.

Estimated levy rate is $5.89 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Other school maintenance and operation measures on the ballot include Colton School District, $512,165 for 2017 at an estimated rate of $3.76; Endicott School District, $330,000 for 2017 and for 2018, both estimated at a $3.22 levy rate; Rosalia, $595,000 for 2017 and for 2018, with $3.24 levy rate in 2017 and $3.20 rate for 2018; Oakesdale, $676,000 for three years at $3.75 estimated levy rate for each of those years; St. John District, $480,000 for 2017 and for 2018 with estimated levy rate of $2.42 for both years; and Steptoe, $110,000 for each of the next two years at an estimated levy rate of $2.86.

St. John also seeks approval of a safety and technology levy of $100,000 for each of two years at an estimated $1 levy each year.

Oakesdale parks and recreation district seeks approval of a $20,000 levy to replace the boiler at the swim pool at an estimated rate of 12 cents per $1,000.

Endicott Rural Fire District 6 will ask voters for approval Feb. 9 of a special levy of $40,000 a year over four years. Proceeds from the levy would be used to provide a new tanker truck for the district. The district is now in the process of constructing a new tanker and proceeds from this year’s levy would go into a fund for a new tanker in the future. Tanker capacity would be in the range of 1,200 to 1,500 gallons. Estimated rate of the levy would be 53 cents per $1,000 of valuation. The levy would be for taxes collected in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

The district has applied for a FEMA grant to purchase new self-contained breathing tanks and turnout gear. The grant request is for $122,500. In the event they fail to land the grant, some of the levy funds would be used to purchase some of the needed equipment.