West Valley School District’s $11.8M levy appears to pass on election night

West Valley voters backed the school district’s efforts to remodel and repair school buildings with property taxes.

Voters passed the school district’s $11.8 million property tax levy to pay for building maintenance and improvements. It had 57% support in Tuesday’s count.

“We’re very proud of our community for our support, very grateful for their support, and I think that putting a capital projects levy for three years is kind of our bridge right now until we can figure out what we can do in the future,” Superintendent Kyle Rydell said on election night after a West Valley High School volleyball game.

The three-year levy will tax property owners at a rate of $1 per $1,000 in assessed property value, the district estimated in September.

With these taxes, the district will pay to modernize entrance security, finish repairing the roof at West Valley High School and update pick-up and drop-off areas at two elementary schools.

The district put forth its levy after a proposed $92 million bond failed in February along with all other Spokane County school districts’ bonds during that election. District staff plan to pay for some of the projects with levy dollars, then perhaps send to voters a cheaper bond later down the line, Rydell said in September.