Early election results on Nov. 4 show that voters said yes to the Auburn School District’s capital levy for safety, technology and maintenance, but the district’s construction bond failed to pick up enough votes to get it past the the 60% supermajority the state requires to pass bonds.
In the combined general election results of King and Pierce counties, the construction bond was garnering 4,507 votes to approve (51.61%), but the 4,225 votes to reject (48.39%) were decisive.
As for the levy, it ended the evening with 4,830 (55.42%) votes for, and 3,885 (44.58%) votes against.
“We’re really happy about the capital levy because it brings all our schools up to the modern safety standards, and it will pay for a lot of expensive projects, and it will renew our technology levy so our kids have the tools to learn,” said Auburn School District Superintendent Dr. Alan Spicciati. “The bond is not going to hit the supermajority, so it’s not going to make it, but we’re really appreciative of the community’s support.”
Here are the two propositions.
Proposition 1: School Bond-Building for Learning
This proposed bond package would have built Middle School #5 on ASD property on Sumner-Tapps Highway East, replaced 58-year old Cascade Middle School and moved it away from its present site to district property at I St. NE and 40th St. NE, and replaced Alpac Elementary School on the site where it has been in the city of Pacific for 53 years.
According to the district, the plan was to decrease overcrowding in the district’s schools — which in the aggregate, currently make do with 41 portables — to increase student safety, provide infrastructure for modern technology, equip schools with more energy-efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems, and improve parking and access.
Taxpayers would have seen an average cost of $1.04 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation, with bond costs not to exceed $490,000,000.
Proposition 2: Safety, Security, Facility Improvements, and Technology Replacement Levy
According to district officials, this six-year levy will make safety and security improvements at 16 schools and support buildings, enhance learning spaces, and provide new technology devices for all students.
The average cost will be 77 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation, with the total cost of the levy at $110,800,000.
In the 2024 general election, the Auburn School District’s $532,100,000 construction bond was garnering 52.4 percent of the combined votes of King and Pierce counties in early returns. The result broke down to 61.5 percent yes in Pierce County and 51.33 percent yes in King County.
