Portland Public Schools' $790 Million Bond Passes

PORTLAND, OR — Voters in Multnomah County soundly passed the Portland Public Schools 2017 Health, Safety and Modernization Bond with nearly 66 percent approval Tuesday night, ensuring the district $790 million to fund improvement projects at Benson and Madison high schools, as well as complete remodels at Lincoln High School and Kellogg Middle School.

According to PPS officials, the bond will help administrators tackle many of the health and safety issues covered extensively by Portland region media outlets over the past year, least of which include lead and asbestos problems at many of Portland's more than 70-year-old facilities. Additionally, some of the bond funding will go toward seismic upgrades and "accessibility improvements in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act."

The bond's approval also means PPS officials can pay for the planning stages of future upgrades at Cleveland, Jefferson, and Wilson high schools.

What this means for Multnomah County residents is an average levy rate of $0.68 per $1,000 of assessed value over 30 years: $1.40 per $1,000 of assessed property value for the first four years, with the amount steadily decreasing each subsequent year. The district estimated average costs to be roughly $136 annually for taxpayers.

Of the $790 million total, at least $150 million will cover projects across the district. These include:

• Replacing old pipes and fixtures to reduce lead, improve water quality, and reduce the need to use bottled water;
• Removing or encapsulating exposed lead paint and asbestos;
• Upgrading fire alarm and/or sprinkler systems;
• Repairing or replacing leaking or deteriorating school roofs;
• Improving accessibility for people with disabilities;
• Improving building foundations and ventilation to decrease radon exposure; and
• Strengthening school safety and security.

The last election update for the county was around 2:30 a.m. At that time, it appeared that out of just more than 119,000 votes, nearly 66 percent approved.

From PPS Interim Superintendent Bob McKean:

What a great day for Portland Public Schools! Voters overwhelmingly approved our bond measure, which means we can continue our plan to make our schools modern, safe and welcoming places for our students to learn and excel. I want to offer my most sincere thanks to everyone who worked so hard on the campaign – and to all of you who voted in this election. The impact will be felt for years and decades to come by generations of students and Portlanders.

The results of this election reinforce what I have seen since becoming interim superintendent last August: Portland is a community that cares deeply about its public schools. This was a tremendous vote of confidence in our teachers, principals, support staff and school board. It also is a reflection on the excellent work that has been done at Franklin and Roosevelt high schools and Faubion K-8 using funds from the 2012 bond.

In addition to breaking ground on the new Grant High School (using 2012 bonds), we will begin quickly to address lead, radon, asbestos and fire safety issues at schools throughout the district. At the same time, we will begin the necessary groundwork for major overhauls of Madison and Benson high schools, and complete rebuilds of Lincoln High and Kellogg Middle School. As more details become available on these projects, we will share them with you.

Again, thank you Portland, and thank you PPS community. I am excited about the future of our schools.

Additionally, voters elected Rita Moore (Zone 4), Scott Bailey (Zone 5), and Julia Brim-Edwards (Zone 6) to the PPS Board of Education. They will replace Steve Buel, Pam Knowles, and Tom Koehler, respectively.

For more information on the dangers of asbestos and mesothelioma, the rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, visit https://www.mesothelioma.com.

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