Voters say yes to Yakima School bond

YAKIMA, Wash., -- It was all jubilance and joy at the Yakima School District offices Tuesday night.

In spite of a grim economy, job losses and belt-tightening times, Yakima voters approved a school bond proposal by a whopping 68 percent rate.

Only residents who live within the Yakima School District boundaries voted on the bond issue.

“I’m surprised at that number — I’m thrilled,” said Kristy Larson, who along with her husband Paul, chaired the community bond committee.

The vote, with 10,628 ballots counted, reflected about 38 percent of the ballots mailed to voters.

Less than 32 percent of the ballots contained No votes; bonds need a super majority, or 60 percent, to pass.

About 8,800 votes had to be cast for the bond to be validated. The district easily met that benchmark with more than 10,000 ballots counted by Tuesday evening.

In special elections, validation numbers are determined by calculating 40 percent of the votes cast in the last general election.

Election officials in the county Auditor’s Office expect at least 750 more ballots to arrive over the next few days, but school officials confirmed that a 68 percent Yes vote provided more than a safe margin for victory.

About 50 teachers, administrators, parents and students celebrated the bond’s passage at the main school offices.

Taxpayers approved spending $114 million to replace Eisenhower High School, modernize Davis High School and renovate six other schools.

Perhaps happiest of all with the news was Superintendent Ben Soria, who has long said passage of a bond would be a lasting legacy for Yakima. Soria is retiring at the end of June after leading the district since 2000.

“I can’t describe it,” a visibly delighted Soria said just moments after the count was reported. “I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Vickie Ybarra, chair of the Yakima School Board, noted that people said the economy wouldn’t be a factor in the vote as long as their taxes weren’t raised.

Ybarra also gave credit to the enthusiasm of students, who went door-to-door and held rallies. She pointed out that the more than 1,000 high school students who signed up to help with the campaign won’t benefit from their efforts because construction will be completed after they graduate.

Both Eisenhower and Davis have similar inadequacies, not enough space for growing enrollments, aging heating and plumbing systems, asbestos covered pipes and the inability to expand technology because of limited power capacity.

Work could begin as early as July on plans for a new design to Eisenhower. Final completion is projected for February 2013. Renovation at Davis should be completed in the spring 2015.

Paul Larson, contacted by telephone in Everett. where he was traveling, concurred with Ybarra. “It was a huge community effort to get it passed, but I think it was the kids who sealed it,” he said.

Several students from Eisenhower and Davis high schools waiting for results in the district main office relished their success.

“We’re so excited,” said Rachel Davis, a Davis junior. “The school problems need to be fixed now instead of later.”

But not everyone was celebrating.

“I’m not surprised, but I’m disappointed,” reported Yakima resident Andrew Eakin by telephone. He said he was against the bond because he feels the entire educational system is failing.

“Throwing money at the problem isn’t going to fix it,” the 24-year-old said. “Real change needs to happen to the whole culture within the unions, administration and vested interests.”

Don Parmentier, 65, also contacted by phone, felt that selling the bond as a non-tax increase was fallacious. “My total tax bills keep going up,” he said.

Parmentier was also critical that more concrete plans weren’t made available about the proposed school construction. “There was no accountability,” he said.

But nothing could dampen the spirits of school personnel.

“This is good for the whole community,” said John Vornbrock, the school board member who served as a liaison with the bond committee.