A proposed $112 million school bond in the Ferndale School District is succeeding to garner the more than 60% supermajority approval votes needed to pass, according to initial Special Election results provided by the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office tonight, Tuesday, February 12th.
With 8,555 ballots counted so far, 5,245 people (61.31 percent) approved the measure while 3,310 (38.69 percent) opposed it.
The next ballot count will be reported Wednesday at 5pm. The auditor’s office did not indicate the number ballots estimated to yet be counted. There remain those still in the mail and in transit from ballot drop off locations that remained open until 8pm tonight.
The bond proposal on the ballot is identical to the one that received
58.64% support on the November 2018 General Election ballot. It was decided to quickly return the proposal to the voters and doing so did not allow enough time to make any adjustments and get them approved before the filing deadline.
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In addition to receiving the 60% supermajority, to validate the Special Election, at least 40% voters must vote as voted in the November General Election. With 15,224 votes cast in November, more than 6,090 votes, either in support or opposed, would be required to vote on the bond. Voter turnout during special elections in 2006 and 2008 was 6,875 and 6,750 respectively.
If approved, the $112 million bond issue would be used to build a new 2-story high school to replace existing Ferndale High School classrooms, modernize the auditorium and make repairs and upgrades to the elementary and middle schools.
The $112 million in bonds would be repaid through new annual property tax levies over a period of up to 22 years. The tax rate is estimated at about $0.90 per $1,000 in assessed property value for the first 3 years and then about $1.66 for the years following. The discounted rate would coincide with the remaining years of taxes due on an existing 2006 school bond issue (currently at about $0.74).
Thank you, to the entire Ferndale community for this investment in our shared future. Your willingness to take on this debt is a clear signal to our children that they are important to us and that we all care for them and about them. I look forward with great anticipation as we work collaboratively to create a facility that will be the heart of this great place.
Well done Ferndale! Thank you.
I was so glad to hear this passed. It not only funds education but tells the kids the community is behind them. When I was young, our levies always passed in Everett and that was a source of pride for us. We don’t have kids in school now, but happy to fund education!