Two levies on the ballot for the Aberdeen School District that were passing by a small margin after Tuesday evening’s special election padded their leads substantially after a second count on Thursday, shoring up approval for all school district levies across Grays Harbor County.
Almost 4,000 additional ballots were tabulated by the Grays Harbor County Auditor’s office between election day and Thursday’s follow-up count, leaving voter turnout at 32% countywide. As of Friday morning, the auditor’s website estimated another 100 ballots still needed to be counted.
As of Thursday’s count, voters passed all school district levies in the 2024 special election.
Aberdeen’s educational programs and operations levy, which needs a simple majority to pass, has 53% voter approval. The follow-up count bumped the levy’s passing margin from a slight 15 votes to nearly 200, leaving the count at 1,655 to 1,461.
Voter approval allows the district to levy $6 million each year over the next four years at $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed value for extracurricular programs, staffing and other areas not covered by state funding.
“As a parent, it’s wonderful to see the kids in this community getting the support of the community behind them to have high quality education and safe and comfortable buildings,” Callie White, co-chair of Aberdeen’s levy committee, said on Friday. “I think every kid deserves to have access to every opportunity, and it’s wonderful that Aberdeen will still support its students.”
Thursday’s ballot count also cemented voter approval of Aberdeen School District’s capital projects levy, which will give the district anywhere from $2.18 million to $2.46 million each year over the next four years at a rate of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. Tuesday’s special election left the measure passing by 75 votes, a margin that was lifted to 258, with 54% in favor.
The capital projects levy will pay for various physical needs around the district, including intercom upgrades, roofs, repairing landslide damage to tennis courts, resurfacing, playgrounds, parking lots, ramps and other upgrades.
“The fact that (the capital levy) got support is because the community is speaking for what it already wants,” White said. “It does want our schools to be cared for, it does want us to preserve what we already have. There is a real community connection to all these buildings.”
Both levies will begin collection in 2025, and together will garner a total of $33 million over the next four years.
Starting next year, the combined property tax rate for Aberdeen taxpayers will be $3.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. In the last few years, Aberdeen taxpayers have paid at a rate of about $3.83 per $1,000. A previous 20-year taxpayer bond, which paid for Aberdeen High School, dropped off the tax rolls at the end of 2023, leaving only the $2.50 operations levy on the books for 2024.
Results of school district levies elsewhere were mostly decided on election night Feb. 13. Voters in nine other school districts across Grays Harbor County approved educational programs and operations, including in Hoquiam, North Beach, Montesano, Elma, Cosmopolis, Satsop, Wishkah Valley, Oakville and McCleary.
Contact reporter Clayton Franke at 406-552-3917 or clayton.franke@thedailyworld.com.
