Voters Decide Today On Fate Of District 81’S Levy, $74 Million Bond

Will promises of improvements for Spokane District 81 schools lure 25,920 voters to the polls today?

That’s how many people must cast ballots to give a $74.5 million bond a chance at passing.

Other school and fire districts in Spokane County also have bond issues and levies before voters today.

Polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Spokane educators say they hope they’ve given everyone good reason to vote. The bond would pay for a projected 4,000 new computers to be divvied up among all the district’s schools.

Also on the project list are renovation of Lewis and Clark High School, a new Browne Elementary School in north Spokane and remodeled high school science rooms.

The bond also would create three temporary administrative positions - two construction project managers and a coordinator for new technology, said Ned Hammond, the district’s planning director.

Those jobs probably would last for three years. Hammond estimated each annual salary at $42,000 to $45,000.

The bond would raise taxes for the owner of a $100,000 home from $99 per year to $146. The debt would be paid off by 2009.

For the bond to pass, nearly 26,000 people have to vote and at least 60 percent of them have to vote “yes.”

The district also is hoping to pass a two-year maintenance and operations levy that would renew a levy that expires in December. The new levy would raise $36.1 million in 1999 and $37.6 million the following year. It would pay for basic instructional programs, including teacher salaries and classroom materials.

The replacement levy would not increase tax rates. The new levy would cost $388 in 1999 and $386 in 2000 for the owner of a $100,000 home. The same homeowner is paying $388 a year for the current levy.

Here are details on other ballot issues in Spokane County:

Spokane Valley Fire District: 1999 levy, $6.7 million for regular maintenance and operations and a new pumper/ladder truck.

Central Valley schools: Regular two-year maintenance and operations levy; school bus levy of about $900,000 over two years to replace 15 buses.

Cheney schools: Regular two-year maintenance and operations levy; $2.1 million two-year capital levy for structural improvements to the district middle school and upgraded technology throughout the district.

Deer Park schools: Regular two-year maintenance and operations levy.

East Valley schools: Regular two-year maintenance and operations levy.

Freeman schools: Regular two-year maintenance and operations levy; technology levy of $915,000 over five years.

Liberty schools: $3.1 million bond issue; regular two-year maintenance and operations levy.

Medical Lake schools: Regular two-year maintenance and operations levy.

Nine Mile schools: Regular two-year maintenance and operations levy.

Riverside schools: Four-year maintenance and operations levy; $2.6 million modernization and technology bond.

West Valley schools: Regular two-year maintenance and operations levy; technology levy of $1 million over two years.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ONLINE You can catch the latest updates on Spokane County election results tonight and Wednesday on the elections office Web page. Use the address www.spokanecounty.org/ elections/ and click on the “Online Elections Results” category.