Early election results Tuesday (Nov. 5) show the Kent School District’s $97.8 million three-year Capital Projects and Technology Replacement Levy is failing with 48.66% (23,913) voting yes and 51.36% (25,235) voting no.
If the levy is approved, about $73.3 million would go to capital projects and $24.4 million to technology that district staff claims are critical and essential needs. The measure is about half of the proposed $190.2 million levy that voters turned down in April. Voters also rejected the levy in November 2023.
Ballot are still being counted and the election is expected to be certified by Nov. 26.
If the levy is approved, property tax rates for the measure would be $0.72 (72 cents) per $1,000 assessed property value in 2025; $0.70 in 2026; and $0.68 in 2027, according to district documents. The measure would bring in about $32 million per year. Combined with the voter-approved district operational levy in November 2023, the property tax rate would be $2.92 in 2025, costing the owner of a $600,000 home about $1,751 per year in 2025 compared to $2,120 in 2023 with a rate of $3.53 per $1,000 assessed value.
The proposed levy would fund the following:
• Student safety and health improvements will include upgrades to building fire alarm systems and the purchase and installation of boilers. Other projects include roof and building side improvements; replacing the bus transportation fueling station and an emergency generator to the central kitchen to prevent spoiling of food during power outages.
• New roofs at six schools will cost about $22.9 million, according to district documents. A bus fueling center will cost $5.6 million. New boilers at six schools and the central kitchen will cost $8.6 million.
• The district plans to install synthetic turf fields at Kentridge High School and Mill Creek Middle School, at a cost of $18 million, because rain often makes the fields unusable.
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