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Vancouver voters backing fire levy; Ridgefield, Evergreen school measures failing

Evergreen voters rejecting replacement levy; Ridgefield school construction bond falling short of 60 percent supermajority

By Mark Bowder, Columbian Metro Editor
Published: February 8, 2022, 8:26pm

Voters in Vancouver on Tuesday approved a levy lid lift to generate about $15 million a year in extra funding for the Vancouver Fire Department. A school construction bond in Ridgefield and  a replacement levy in Evergreen Public Schools were failing, while levies in other districts were having mixed results.

Backers of Vancouver’s Proposition 2, which was passing with 52.73 percent of the vote as of Tuesday evening, say the increased expenditures are needed to improve emergency response times throughout the city, with about $60 million going toward replacing and retrofitting fire stations and $12.7 million going toward staffing, operations and equipment costs.

The Ridgefield School District was falling short of the 60 percent supermajority needed to approve a $62.5 million bond to fund district expansion and construction projects to support the rapid population growth that’s projected over the next few years. The bond had 57.31 percent support as of Tuesday evening, but in order to pass, the bond requires a 60 percent supermajority. Similar measures had the same face at the ballot box twice in 2020.

Voters in Evergreen Public Schools were rejecting a three-year replacement educational programs and operations levy, which would have replaced the district’s current levy when it expires in December. The levy received only 40.61 percent of the vote, with 59.39 percent opposed. The levy would have started at $1.92 per $1,000 in assessed value and increased to $2.12 per $1,000 in the second and third years.

Voters in the Hockinson School District were approving a four-year replacement levy for school programs and operations at $1.89 per $1,000 of assessed value. The vote as of Tuesday evening was 52.10 percent in favor.

Voters in the Green Mountain School District, were approving a two-year replacement levy for educational programs and operation at $1.99 per $1,000 of assessed value. The levy was passing with 57.14 percent of the vote.

Voters in the La Center School District were rejecting a three-year replacement levy for educational programs and operations. The levy received 45.78 percent of votes in favor and 54.22 percent opposed.

In the Mount Pleasant School District, which includes results from Skamania County, voters were giving strong support to the district’s proposed three-year maintenance and operations levy. The levy, which starts at $2.11 per $1,000 assessed value, declining to $2 and then $1.85 per $1,000 assessed value, was passing Tuesday with 67.14 percent of the vote.

Clark County voter turnout as of Tuesday night was 21.29 percent, with 17,000 ballots yet to be counted. The next batch of results will be released at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

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Columbian Metro Editor