SPOKANE, Wash. – The first batch of results for Spokane elections have Spokane Public Schools’ Proposition 1 in the lead with 25,938 votes (60.75%) to approve the proposition, and 16,755 votes (39.25%) to reject it.
The proposition is part of the “Together Spokane” partnership and aims to improve aging school facilities, enhance safety and security and broaden educational opportunities.
According to the Washington Secretary of State, if officially approved, Proposition 1 will authorize $200 million of general obligation bonds. This funding will be used to rebuild Adams and Madison Elementary Schools; improve parts of North Central High School and Gary Middle School; and create a four-year Trades High School at the Spokane Community College Campus.
The bonds will also support essential capital improvements to 66 schools and facilities, as well as enhance athletics infrastructure.
Over 21 years, the bonds will be repaid through annual property taxes. State matching funds are expected to cover about $37.8 million of the improvement costs.
Ryan Lancaster, Executive Director of Communications for Spokane Public Schools, and Fianna Dickson, Community Manager for City of Spokane Parks & Recreation, released a statement in response to the voter approval of the school bond.
“With about 22,000 ballots yet to be counted…we’ll continue to watch results in the coming days,” they said. “Regardless of the final results, the Together Spokane partnership remains focused on serving our community through responsible planning, transparency, and efficient stewardship of public resources. The volume of engagement we’ve seen over the past year demonstrates a strong, collective interest in the future of our city.”
Lancaster and Dickson thanked the thousands of voters who submitted ballots on Tuesday for “carefully considering these investments in our schools, parks, and shared spaces.”
For more information on Proposition 1, visit the Spokane Public Schools website.
