Dixie School District capital levy fails by a single vote, EP&O measure passes

DIXIE – Most school levies in Walla Walla County got voter support in the Feb. 10 special election, except the Dixie School District’s replacement capital levy for health, safety and energy-efficiency improvements.

Only one vote pushed the replacement capital levy to disapproval, with 108 “no” votes, or 50.23 percent to 107 “yes” votes, or 49.77 percent.

“This (replacement capital) levy will not impact our ability to teach or instruct students,” Superintendent Jacob Bang said.

On Tuesday, Bang informed Elkhorn Media Group that a request has been submitted to the Walla Walla County Election Department for a recount of the capital project levy no. 2, which will reportedly take place in the next few weeks.

“If the result changes, again we lost by one vote, then great,” Bang said. “If not, then the district will rerun the levy in the November election.”

Bang explained that by being a small rural school district, operating out of historic building, the Dixie School District knows it has future capital project needs on the horizon.

“Over the last levy (six years) we have replaced the boiler, fixed the roof and gutters, repainted the interior of the school, and last summer put in new stairs outside of the school,” Bang added. “We have used the money well to preserve and update the school and hope to continue to do that in the future.”

The Dixie School District had another levy on the ballot, which voters approved, to replace an expiring educational, programs, and operations levy (EP&O). With 119 “yes” votes, or 55.09 percent, the majority supported the EP&O levy, to 97 “no” votes, or 44.91 percent.

Dixie’s EP&O levy will collect 70 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation in 2027 and 2028, for an estimated levy amount of $140,000 annually.

File photo of Dixie High School

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Elkhorn Media Group