Stevens County jail, sales tax issues falling short
Proposals to build a new jail in Stevens County and raise the sales tax in the county to strengthen law enforcement were overwhelmingly failing in early election results.
A $17.5 million bond measure to build a new Stevens County jail and courtroom building needed 60 percent support to pass, but was being rejected by a 2-1 ratio with most precincts counted. The measure would have cost property owners 55 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
A proposed 0.03 percent sales-tax increase to help pay for law enforcement costs was failing by the same ratio. Unlike other money measures, the tax increase needed only a simple majority to pass, but it still wasn’t within striking distance.
The increase would have raised an estimated $870,000 a year for the county Sheriff’s Office, municipal police departments and other criminal justice uses.
Also in Stevens County, incumbent County Commissioner Tony Delgado was headed toward victory in a four-way Republican primary. If early results hold up, Delgado will face Democrat Gary McKinney in the Nov. 2 general election. McKinney was unopposed for his party’s nomination.
Former County Commissioner Fran Bessermin, whom Delgado unseated four years ago, was in second place in early Republican primary results, followed by Tom Hale and Bruce Bassett.
In the county’s northern commissioner District, incumbent Republican Malcolm Friedman had no Republican or Democratic opposition.
A three-year, $45,000-a-year operating levy for the Summit Valley School District in the Addy area of central Stevens County was headed toward a sound defeat in early returns.
In Pend Oreille County, Republican Dean Cummings and Democrat Diane Wear apparently won their party primaries Tuesday for the county commissioner District 1 position being vacated by Mike Hanson, who ran for a 7th District state House seat.
Republican results in District 1, at the southern end of the county: Dean Cummings, 265, 52.2 percent; Norris Boyd, 243, 47.8 percent. Democratic results: Diane Wear, 270, 51.7 percent; John Harkness, 252, 48.3 percent.
In commissioner District 3, at the northern end of the county, Ken Oliver Sr. defeated David King in the Republican primary for the position being vacated by Sam Nicholas. Democrat Duane Schofield was unopposed for his party’s nomination.
Oliver had 361 votes, or 56.1 percent, to King’s 282 votes, or 43.9 percent. Schofield got 269 votes.
Also in Pend Oreille County, five fire districts had mixed results in financial measures, all of which required 60 percent support.
In District 3, voters approved a request to set their regular tax levy at 85 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The proposal had 62.1 percent support, 528 to 322.
A request to set District 4’s tax rate at $1 per thousand failed with only 42.4 percent support, 190 to 258.
In District 5, a proposal to set the levy rate at 50 cents per thousand failed in a tie, 19 to 19.
District 7 residents gave 76.7 percent support, 66 to 20, to a levy rate of 66 cents per thousand.
A 75-cent rate was approved with 75.8 percent support, 100 to 32, in Fire District 8.
In Lincoln County, incumbent County Commissioners Deral Boleneus and Dennis Bly were all but re-elected Tuesday.
Bly was running completely unopposed, while Boleneus beat back John G. Nelson III and Davenport Mayor Chuck Johnston for the Republican nomination. There were no Democratic candidates.
Boleneus had 420 votes, or 56 percent; Nelson, 227, 30.3 percent; Johnston, 103, 13.7 percent.
In Ferry County, incumbent County Commissioner Mike Blankenship, a Republican, and Democrat Gregg Caudell were unopposed for their District 3 party nominations. Blankenship had 252 votes; Caudell, 163.
The race to replace District 1 Republican County Commissioner Dennis Snook, who is stepping down, was decided when Brad Miller won Tuesday’s three-way Republican primary. There was no Democratic candidate.
Miller had 334 votes, or 64.9 percent; Dennis C. Wuerth had 126, or 24.5 percent; and Steven Hines, got 55 votes, for 10.7 percent.