Pasco Voters Pass School Bond – Walla Walla Residents Reject Theirs

Pasco School District officials are reporting the bond has passed.

As of Wednesday afternoon, just over 61 percent of ballots returned were in favor of funding the construction of yet-to-be-named elementary schools. The first will educate about 750 students and be located at Road 52 and Powerline Road. It will open fall 2014.

Another will open in 2015 and be located at Road 60 and Sandifur Parkway. A third elementary school will also be built later.

Significant improvements will also be made to Stevens Middle School that will allow for the relocation of New Horizon's High School.

District officials said about 125 ballots remain to be counted, and while the bond will not be officially certified until Feb. 26, the remaining ballots are not enough to change the positive outcome. Superintendent Saundra Hill thanked everyone associated with the bond effort and said it was a "victory for the children of Pasco."

Meanwhile, officials in Walla Walla reported their bond, which would have renovated Walla Walla High School, apparently failed only gathering about 53 percent "yes" votes -- short of the 60 percent supermajority needed for approval. District officials did not immediately say if the bond would be put before voters anytime in the near future.