Spokane approves parks, rural public safety levies, rejects two advisory measures

(The Center Square) – The ballot boxes are closed, and results are rolling in across Spokane County and its various cities, towns and other governing bodies.

The big-ticket item between the city of Spokane and Spokane Public Schools passed on a thin margin, but Spokane County Elections still has about 22,000 ballots left to count. Three other school districts also proposed levies this fall, but only one has passed so far, as the remaining votes loom overhead.

Meanwhile, local governments proposed five tax measures outside the city of Spokane, along with two additional advisory votes. Both of those failed, but the smaller municipalities around the county found success Tuesday night. However, those results are subject to change as the remaining votes come in.

Together Spokane

The biggest tax proposals this November were the city of Spokane’s $240 million parks levy and SPS’s $200 million bond. The joint initiative, dubbed Together Spokane, was years in the making, and both proposals appeared to pass on Tuesday, though SPS is clinging to a thin margin at 60.72% of the vote.

The levy passed with 54.8% of the vote since it only required a simple majority, but the bond requires a 60% supermajority. If both hold strong as Spokane County Elections processes the roughly 22,000 remaining ballots over the coming days, the initiative could fund the construction of 200 projects.

If the bond falls short, both parties will have to reassess and cut several projects. Combined, the levy and bond cost around 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That comes out to roughly $99 annually for a $330,000 home, with the tax rate increasing gradually over the next two decades.

Town of Spangle

The Spangle Town Council asked voters to approve two levies this November, as per usual, to fund fire and police services next year. Both passed with 62.26% support for the fire levy at $1.19 per $1,000 of assessed property value and 54.72% for the police levy at $1.40 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The combined rate of $2.59 will cost someone with a $330,000 home about $855 annually next year.

Spangle Cemetery District

The Board of the Spangle Cemetery District asked voters for another 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, which would generate an estimated $20,000. Nearly 66% of the community approved the levy on Tuesday, which will cost property owners with a $330,000 home about $66 annually.

Rosalia Park and Recreation District

The Rosalia Park and Recreation District, which serves the towns of Rosalia and Malden, with the latter in Whitman County, proposed a levy at 31 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. About 75% of the voters approved the levy on Tuesday, which will cost about $102 annually for a $330,000 home.

Town of Rockford

The Rockford Town Council asked voters to renew its fire levy for next year, which would cost 51 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The measure garnered nearly 75% of the vote on Tuesday and will cost property owners with a $330,000 home about $163 next year, generating around $36,000.

Advisory Votes

The cities of Liberty Lake and Medical Lake both put advisory votes on the November ballot. The first measure asked whether residents supported the city building a new community center and library in Liberty Lake, but it failed with only 44.57% support. The second proposal asked whether Medical Lake should prohibit the community from buying, selling, and discharging fireworks throughout the city.

As with the first advisory vote, only 45% of Medical Lake supported the measure, which ultimately failed.

The county will count the estimated 22,000 remaining ballots over the coming days before certifying the results on Nov. 25.