- Pasco School District
- Bond 2023: Building Bright Futures
Bond 2023: Building Bright Futures
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We are honored and proud to share that our February 14 bond passed with a 60.91% approval rate. We’re incredibly grateful to the Pasco community for making this commitment to support our students. This is an important step in the district’s efforts to alleviate overcrowding and reduce the number of portables at our schools.
Our volunteer-led Community Builders group did a great job creating the district’s Long-Term Facilities Management Plan (LTFMP), which addresses the district’s most urgent needs to support our students and schools. Thanks to their efforts, this bond represents the collective work of our community.
Construction on the comprehensive high school will begin in the early summer of 2023, and construction on the small innovative high school will begin in the spring of 2024. We anticipate both high schools to open in August 2025.
Thank you for your continued support of Pasco students.
Why Bond 2023?
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Pasco School District is running a bond in February 2023 as a part of our Long-Term Facilities Management Plan, which addresses ways to alleviate overcrowding in our schools and improve the learning environment for students in our district.
Our High Schools are Overcapacity
Chiawana High School
- #1 largest high school in the state
- Built to serve 2,348 students
- Current enrollment = 3,164 students
- 816 students overcapacity
- 960 students in portables
Pasco High School
- #6 largest high school in the state
- Built to serve 1,808 students
- Current enrollment = 2,504 students
- 696 students overcapacity
- 870 students in portables
Over 1,800 Students Being Served in Portables
Did you know that 1,800 students between both high schools are being served in portable classrooms every day? That's the size of two of our middle schools.Chiawana High School (pictured below) has 16 portables, which provide 32 classrooms and serve up to 960 students per day. Pasco High School has 20 portables, which provides 29 classrooms and serves up to 870 students per day.Pasco is Growing
Pasco is forecasted to grow over 32% by 2031! We were recently named the #8 largest boomtowns in America in 2022 by SmartAsset.
Bonds are for Building
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How are bonds different than a levy? Bonds are for new construction, remodels, or major facility renovations.
Thank you to voters for approving our November 2017 bond, which allowed us to:
- Build Three Rivers Elementary & Columbia River Elementary
- Replace & Expand Stevens Middle School
- Build Reynolds Middle School
- Complete Safety & Health Improvements at School Sites
- Build Transportation & Maintenance Facilities
Learn more by visiting our 2017 bond webpage.
Bond 2023 Scope
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Comprehensive High School #3
Learn more details.Small Innovative High School: Career and College Academy
Learn more details.Athletic Field & Facility Improvements
Learn more details.Career & Technical Education (CTE) Enhancements and Modernizations
Learn more details.Land Purchases
Learn more details.
Bond Rates
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taxpayer portion of the overall bond scope = $195.5M
estimated tax rate increase of $0.31* per $1,000 of assessed property value
* bond rates may change due to fluctuations in lending market interest rates and changes in annual assessed property values.
Tax Scenarios
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Below are property tax scenarios showing the difference of $0.31 from the current tax rate of $1.85 in 2022 and an estimated tax rate of $2.16 in 2024.
Assessed Value $250,000 $350,000 $450,000 AV (in thousands) x the Bond Rate $250 x $0.31 $350 x $0.31 $450 x $0.31 Est. tax increase $6.46/month $9.04/month $11.63/month
FAQ
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+ What if I have questions?
Please submit any questions you may have to our Padlet and we will post questions and answers on our webpage.
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+ What is a bond?
Bonds are for building! A bond provides funding for capital projects such as purchasing property for schools, constructing new schools, or modernizing existing schools. Bonds are sold to investors who are repaid with interest over time from property tax collections, generally between 10-25 years.
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+ Why does the district need a bond measure?
We are running a bond in February 2023 as a part of our Long-Term Facilities Management Plan, which addresses ways to alleviate overcrowding in our schools and improve the learning environment for students in our district.
Our comprehensive high schools are over capacity.
- Chiawana was built for 2,348 students, but during the 21-22 school year Chiawana served 3,126 students at its peak in October 2021.
- Pasco High School was built to serve 1,808 students and last year served 2,448 students at its peak in October 2021.
- The district estimates that over 1,300 students between both schools will be served in portable classrooms for the 22-23 school year.
The City of Pasco projects its population will grow by 50,000 within the next 20 years, leading to continued enrollment growth for Pasco schools. The 2023 bond preliminary scope includes adding a new third comprehensive high school and a small innovative high school which would create room for 2,600 students, alleviating overcrowding in current high schools and allowing room for enrollment growth.
The bond also includes adding a softball field at Pasco High School, enhancing Career & Technical Education (CTE) equipment and space at Chiawana and Pasco High Schools and purchasing land for future growth.
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+ What is required for a bond to pass?
Bonds require a super majority to pass, which is 60%. For a bond to pass, the election must also be validated, meaning voter turnout must be equal to 40% of the voters who cast ballots in the last general election.
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+ What will the bond rate be?
The taxpayer portion of the overall bond cost is $195.5 million, with an estimated tax rate of $0.31* per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Below are property tax scenarios showing the difference of $0.31 from the current tax rate of $1.85 in 2022 and an estimated tax rate of $2.16 in 2024.
* bond rates may change due to fluctuations in lending market interest rates and changes in annual assessed property values. -
+ Is there a tax break for senior citizens?
Yes! Washington State law provides two tax benefit programs for senior citizens and individuals who are disabled: property tax exemptions and property tax deferrals. For more information on qualifications, please contact your local county assessor’s office.
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+ How do I register to vote?
You can register to vote by visiting the VoteWA website.
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+ When do we vote?
Ballots will be mailed to registered voters on January 24, 2023 and the deadline to vote is February 14, 2023.