SPOKANE, Wash. – With less than three weeks to make a final decision, the Spokane Public Schools Board decided not to run a bond on the November ballot and elected to look into future options.
In February, voters rejected SPS’s $200 million bond request, creating a hole in the district’s long-term building plans. The bond was supposed to help replace Adams and Madison Elementary schools, modernize North Central High School and Garry Middle School, among other things.
Instead, the district will wait until at least February 2025 to ask the voters again, who have to support any bond measure with a 60% vote in favor.
“I’m just not certain November is the best time,” Board President Nikki Lockwood said.
November’s ballot is a crowded one, featuring a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, a Washington gubernatorial race with no incumbent and the first local House of Representatives race without an incumbent in 20 years.
To add to all the confusion, the City of Spokane has continually floated the idea of putting a public safety levy on November’s ballot, to help the city navigate their budgetary hole. Nothing is set in stone yet, and the city will have until August 6 to put something on the ballot.
“Indications are the city still will most likely have some kind of levy on the November ballot,” SPS Senior Advisor Mark Anderson said during Wednesday’s meeting.
Board members unanimously agree on the need for a bond, but ultimately decided the political realities are too strong to overcome this November.
“Going out in to the community… I’m talking to people all across the socioeconomic spectrum, all across the political spectrum,” Board Member Hilary Kozel said. “I am just not getting any positive feedback about running a bond in November.”
