Issaquah Voters Have Until April 26 To Return Ballots

ISSAQUAH, WA — Registered voters in Issaquah should have their ballots in hand for the April special election, where voters will decide whether to approve three levies for the Issaquah School District.

Issaquah is the only district with measures on the April ballots, which King County Elections mailed out last Wednesday and will be due back on April 26. Voters can drop their completed ballots in the mail or return them to a ballot drop box until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

For new residents and neighbors who need to register or update their voter registration, the deadline to do so online arrives on April 18. In-person registration will be available at King County's Election headquarters in Renton until the polls close.

Like other Washington school districts, Issaquah relies on voter-approved levies to help fill gaps in state funding and pay for student programs and capital projects. This year's levies include two renewals and a third measure designed to fund the district's plan to upgrade its school bus fleet.

Here's a rundown of the three ballot propositions:

Prop. 1: Renewal Educational Programs & Operations Levy

The first ballot measure would renew an expiring levy that currently provides more than 15 percent of the district's funding. Money from the EP&O levy helps support school nurses, guidance counselors, mental health services, extracurricular activities and sports, along with special education programs, summer school and gifted student programs. Funds also help support student transportation, including bus driver staffing, maintenance and fuel.

Prop. 2: Renewal Capital (Technology and Construction) Levy

Funding in the second levy renewal helps maintain the school district's classroom technology needs, including student laptops, tablets and library hardware. Another portion of funding supports building maintenance, including critical repairs, and will contribute to the district's plan to complete a new high school to address overcrowding.

According to the statement in favor of the measure, completing "High School #4" would help reduce significant overcrowding at Skyline and Issaquah High School. The district said construction costs increased significantly, citing supply chain issues and labor shortages.

Critics of the proposal note the levy includes $44 million to cover an estimated $78 million in cost overruns for the project. The official opposition statement criticizes the levy as a "means to cover up district bureaucrats' mismanagement," including $34 million spent on an "extravagant and unnecessary" headquarters in 2017.

Prop. 3: Transporation (School Bus) Levy

The new levy is a single-year measure and seeks to raise $3 million in 2023 by adding a small property tax so the district can purchase 64 new buses between next year and 2026. Officials said the $3 million in levy revenue mixed with $6.25 million in state reimbursements will allow the district to keep its transportation network up to standards and safely transport 7,500 students every day.