While there still are some uncounted ballots, using ballot count data of 8,059 counted ballots reported in the Wednesday, February 12th, update from the Whatcom County Elections Division, it is possible to see what areas were mostly in favor of, mixed or mostly against the Ferndale School District 2021-2024 levy proposal.
The following map shows the location of Ferndale area precincts and the table below shows the vote counts and percentages for each precinct.
Ballot counts by precinct for the Ferndale School District 2021-2024 Levy on the February 11, 2020 special election as of February 12th (Source: Whatcom County). Click heading icons to change sort order.
I am relatively new to the Ferndale area. I am curious as to why Ferndale, alone among Whatcom County School Districts, failed to support its levy.
Many of us feel strongly that we were misled by those advocating for these funds, and that the amount of taxation has become burdensome in the City of Ferndale – in addition to other escalating costs such as utility rates. This has become a very expensive place to live, and the amount being asked for was bloated and exorbitant.
You can find decent explainers on this site for the two sides: https://myferndalenews.com/school-board-struggles-with-renewing-school-levy-an-open-letter-to-community_94257/ and https://myferndalenews.com/ltte-2-50-school-levy-is-a-promise-broken-twice_99354/. I definitely side with the school board here, and I’m very disappointed in the outcome. But obviously a sufficient number of voters were persuaded.
Utility rates a factor in choosing to not fund schools?
That’s like saying you should but a Chevy over a Dodge because of the cost of tea in China.
No – it’s like saying that in addition to the unaffordable amount they proposed picking our pockets for we have escalating utility rates to help subsidize water usage by developers.
It’s getting too expensive to live in Ferndale! Very high property taxes and expensive water bills from the city! When is the school district and city going to realize this? Also our elementary school is closed in the north BELLINGHAM area because the school district didn’t maintain the roof and seem to have forgot about us, so why would we support their high taxes?
I’m disappointed that the levy failed. How else are we to keep poor people out of Ferndale?? At least the teachers pay and retirement payouts aren’t hurt by this bond failure.