The bond failed by a hair.
The final vote tally for the Bainbridge Island School District’s $42 million capital bond showed it .2 percent shy of the of the 60 percent it needed to pass.
A Tuesday afternoon election report from the Kitsap County Auditor’s office showed that only a handful of “yes” votes – perhaps 50 – would have edged the bond (which earned 59.8 percent) to victory.
More than 9,500 ballots were cast in the election.
It’s unlikely school leaders will call for a recount. Campaign chair Clif McKenzie told the Sun last week that a recount would probably not be worth the nearly $2,500 it would cost.
School officials are considering a similar measure for the November ballot.
Will there be a recount of some sort? I hope so…
Letters/Opinion 5/29/09
School Board
BISD should wait until dust settles
At this time it appears Bainbridge voters have withheld BISD No. 303 the state-required 60% approval on the $42,000,000 bond.
In a democracy, a single vote may be the decisive vote but that narrow decision is final and determinative.
How did Bainbridge voters come to spurn the call for $42M? First, let’s remember Bainbridge voters recently shot down a bloated $8.9M BISD tech levy, the first such defeat in 27 years. After several subsequent approvals of BISD bond and levy, BISD Superintendent Chapel and Board floated the bond in a toxic economic environment: classic chutzpah.
In a BISD mailer, OpenBook, sent at taxpayer expense arriving as the ballots dropped, stated in part: “This bond would fund $9.5M in renovations across the district and $42.5M to replace Wilkes Elementary School, ALL WITH STABLE LOCAL SCHOOL TAXES (caps added).” This talking point was also driven home by Superintendent Chapel, Board President Curtis and their press releases: taxpayers shouldn’t be concerned about costs since taxpayers were already repaying a school funding levy/bond and the new $42M bond would just continue the payments. In our crazy and troubling economy, who can I turn to demand a “stable” income, a stable retirement, a stable savings, stable taxes, stable anything? The fact is there is no magic place I can turn to for a “stable” economic harbor. I find the statement from BISD about selling this bloated bond as a way for BISD to have a stable tax stream to be both insulting and arrogant.
BISD’s share of the May 19 special election cost is $40,000, cost of election mailers and any recount charges if they go that route. $40,000 would have bought valuable education for the children and the bond could have waited until the economic dust settles. BISD must narrow their bond focus and look for alternatives to a rebuilt Wilkes. We have witnessed 4 years of shrinking BISD student population and expect the trend to continue.
Voters will be examining the son of the-defeated-$42M bond very closely, hopefully more closely than this time. Voters want value and voters want convincing evidence BISD leadership understands what a NO vote means.
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James Olsen