SPOKANE, Wash. – As the November 4 election approaches, Spokane voters are considering a significant proposal: the ‘Together Spokane Initiative.’ This initiative includes a $200 million school bond and a $240 million parks levy.
Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Adam Swinyard discussed the initiative with NonStop Local’s Morgan Ashley. He emphasized the potential financial benefits of combining the bond and levy, highlighting that running them together could save money while increasing project capabilities.
“So everyone in our community needs to look at it and ask themselves that value proposition, ask themselves is their personal investment worth the return that they’re going to get,” Swinyard said.
The proposed school bond would add two cents to the existing bond bill for the school district.
“People on average, over the next 15 years, will pay 2 cents more than they’re currently paying,” Swinyard said. However, the cost may vary depending on project speed, interest rates and the bond market.
For a home valued at $400,000, this translates to an estimated $9.67 per month. Nevertheless, some residents express concerns about increasing taxes in a state already known for high tax rates.
Swinyard acknowledged the diversity of opinions. “Two years, a year and a half ago we had 57 percent, almost 57 percent of people voted yes for our bond,” he said. “But we recognize that almost 57% isn’t 100% and so there are parts of our community that are very concerned about the economy, are very concerned about the tax burden.”
Swinyard also addressed misconceptions about bonds. He explained that because Spokane is a large district, it cannot wait for 30-40 years to run a new bond, as infrastructure needs would become unmanageable. Instead, the district aims to spread out bond initiatives every six years.
Spokane Parks and Recreation also clarified that the parks levy will be based on 2026 taxable assessed property values at 27 cents per $1,000.
If home values rise after 2026, it will not affect the amount paid over the next 20 years.
Starting in 2027, the levy can increase up to 3% annually through 2031, then no more than 1% annually thereafter.
