Ballots out for February 11 election on replacement levy

Voters in the Blaine school district should have received ballots in the mail by January 28 for the February 11 special election with a Blaine school district replacement levy vote.

Whatcom County mailed ballots on January 22 and those who didn’t receive ballots by January 28 can download one online at votewa.gov.

Unlike in regular elections, the county’s voter’s pamphlet for this special election should be included in the same envelope as the ballot. If not, it’s also available online at the auditor’s office website. The pamphlet includes a statement for the levy, but no “against” statement was submitted. The district, as legally required, advertised for a committee to write an argument against the levy.

The proposed four-year maintenance and operations levy will replace one that expires at the end of this year. The district would use the money to support “educational maintenance and daily operations, including teachers, staff, classroom materials and textbooks,” according to a resolution the school board passed on November 25.

Taxpayers would pay less for the replacement levy than the current one. Currently, property owners in the Blaine school district pay about $1.39 per $1,000 of assessed value annually for the maintenance and operations levy. The replacement levy would tax voters at approximately $1.26 per $1,000 in assessed value in 2021, and rise to about $1.30 per $1,000 by 2024.

The school district replacement levy is the only thing on the ballot for voters living in the Blaine school district.

The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office must receive voter registration or address changes by February 3. Potential voters can register in person at the auditor’s office until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

You can learn more at the auditor’s office election web page at bit.ly/2RU3KnP.