February Election Ballots Hitting Mailboxes In King County Now

LAKE FOREST PARK, WA - The King County February special election might not be the sexiest election of 2019, but it's still very important. Ballots are hitting mailboxes across the county right now, and voters in Seattle, White Center, Lake Forest Park, and Renton will decide important school and fire protection funding issues.

Here's what's on the ballot:

Seattle Schools Educational Programs and Operations Levy

This three-year, $805 million levy is, to put it mildly, essential. This levy would fund programs that the district can't afford at current state funding levels, things like teacher salaries, textbooks, and school security — not fluffy stuff. This is a renewal levy because the current one expires in 2019.

The levy will cost property owners $1.05 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2020, and will decrease to 96 cents in 2021 and 87 cents in 2022.

Seattle Schools Capital Levy

This levy lasts longer than the operations levy, and it's more costly, but it's also essential. Most importantly, a chunk of the $1.05 billion levy will earthquake-proof six Seattle schools. The rest will pay for maintenance and upgrades at another 72 schools.

Here's how much per $1,000 of assessed value the levy will cost between 2020 and 2025:

• 2020 - $0.90
• 2021 - $0.82
• 2022 - $0.75
• 2023 - $0.68
• 2024 - $0.62
• 2025 - $0.56

Renton Educational Programs and Operations Levy

Like Seattle, Renton has to ask voters to fund essential education programs that the state doesn't fully fund (teacher salaries, books, extracurricular activities). This is a renewal of a levy that expires in 2019. The levy will cost property owners $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value each year between 2020 and 2022.

Renton Building for Excellence Bonds to Improve, Construct and Renovate School Facilities

A long name for a pretty straightforward measure: the district wants to issue about $250 million in bonds (debt) against property tax revenue. The money would be used to make lots of capital improvements at schools, but mainly to build a new elementary school in the Hazen area. This measure needs 60 percent voter approval to pass.

Northshore Fire District (Lake Forest Park, Kenmore) Benefit Charge

If you like having a fire department, you'll want to vote yes on this.

This is a continuation of a property tax charge that Northshore has been using for the last 30 years to fund services. If approved, Northshore would get to collect a benefit charge for the next six years. We won't know until Jan. 1, 2020, what the benefit charge will cost per $1,000 of assessed value, but the maximum the department can charge under state law is $1 per $1,000 of value.

King County Water District 45 Merger With Water District 20

These two districts are neighbors. District 45 serves White Center, District 20 serves an area north of Sea-Tac Airport but south of White Center. If approved, District 45 customers will actually see a reduction in water fees, but the entire District 45 board of commissioners will have to resign.

You can read the long versions of each of these measures — plus arguments against them — at the King County Elections website.

Patch file photo