Issaquah levies, two Lake Washington levies passing | UPDATE

Ballot measures will pay for new school buses, construction of new schools and technology improvements.

Voters in the Issaquah and Lake Washington School Districts weighed in on a spate of ballot items concerning schools on Tuesday and, for the most part, came out in support of the measures.

Only Lake Washington’s Proposition No. 3, which would establish bonds to help reduce overcrowding, was headed for definite defeat when the Reporter went to press. That proposition required 60 percent of the vote to pass, but had only attained 53.8 percent approval with 93 percent of King County ballots counted.

Issaquah’s Proposition No. 1, the two-year Replacement for Educational Programs and Operations Levy, was narrowly passing by 51 to 49 percent. In 2019, the levy would collect $1.13 per $1,000 of assessed value for a total of $36.3 million; in 2020, the levy would rise to $1.33 per $1,000 for a total of $44.3 million.

Proposition No. 2, the Capital Projects Levies, was passing by 54 to 46 percent. The four-year levy is set to fund technology and critical repairs in the district, such as school remodeling and safety updates. In 2019, the levy would collect $0.53 per $1,000 for a total of $16.57 million; by 2022, this would have gone down to $0.49 per $1,000 for a total of $18 million.

Proposition No. 3, the School Bus Levy, was passing by 57.1 to 43.9 percent. The one-year levy would collect $0.06 per $1,000 in 2019 for a total of $2 million to fund new school buses.

“While the election is still too close to call, we are hopeful that all three renewal levies will pass,” the Issaquah School District said on its website Wednesday afternoon. “We greatly appreciate your support as we continue to provide diverse school programs, technology improvements, staffing at all grade levels, and modernized transportation.​”

Lake Washington’s Proposition No. 1, the four-year Replacement of Existing Educational Programs and Operations Levy, was passing by 54.3 to 45.7 percent. In 2019, the levy would collect $1.03 per $1,000 of assessed value for a total of $59.2 million; the rate would remain the same all four years, but the total collection would be expected to rise to $67.7 million by 2022.

LWSD’s Proposition No. 2, the four-year Replacement of Existing Capital Projects Levies, was passing by 54.9 to 45.1 percent. The levy would collect $0.59 per $1,000 in 2019 for a total of $34.2 million in 2019, with the rate remaining the same but going up to a total collection of $39.1 million in 2022.

The failing Proposition No. 3 would have established a maximum-20-year, $299 million bond to fund the construction of a new elementary, middle and high school, an addition to Lake Washington High School, the remodeling or rebuilding of Kamiakin Middle School and Alcott Elementary School, and the acquisition of land.

Election results will be certified on Feb. 23. Check issaquahreporter.com for updated results.