Voters in the Seattle Public Schools district approved two property tax measures on February 12, 2019. Proposition 1 was designed to fund educational programs with a tax levy at the rates of $1.05 per $1,000 in assessed property value in 2020; $0.96 per $1,000 in 2021; and $0.87 per $1,000 in 2022. The district proposed these rates over the legal maximum amount that the state legislature determined school districts could collect through local property taxes in 2017. District officials noted that state lawmakers would need to adjust the existing limits in order to allow the proposed rates. Otherwise, the tax rate under Proposition 1 would default to $0.53 per $1,000 in 2020, according to The Seattle Times. Proposition 1 received 66 percent approval on election night, requiring a simple majority to pass.

 

Proposition 2 was designed to fund capital improvements with a six-year property tax levy. The tax rate would range from $0.90 per $1,000 in value in 2020 down to $0.56 per $1,000 in 2025. The text of the measure listed capital improvements such as earthquake safety projects, building construction, infrastructure updates, and technology updates in the district as purposes for the revenue. Proposition 2 received 68 percent approval on election night, also requiring a simple majority.

 

The King County elections office reported that 40,500 ballots remained to be counted as of 8:05 pm on February 12, with about 99,385 ballots already counted. Voter turnout for the countywide election was 17.74 percent.