Beaverton School District voters approved a $723 million construction bond on Tuesday, the largest to pass in Oregon on a night that delivered mixed results for Oregon schools and community colleges.
Out of 15 school-related bonds and levies proposed to voters across the state, six passed and nine failed.
In addition to the usual pushback on new tax proposals, the Oregon School Boards Association noted districts that lost their bids had also struggled with voters’ fears over rising inflation and the perception that schools are swimming on COVID-19 relief cash.
Along with Beaverton, the election’s other big bond winners include Tillamook Community College, $14.4 million; Dallas School District, $28 million; Corvallis School District, five-year levy of $1.50 per $1,000; Linn-Benton Community College, $16 million; and the La Grande School District, $4.8 million.
School districts in Roseburg, Amity, Gervais, Lebanon, North Bend, South Umpqua, Days Creek, Crook County and Morrow County lost their bond attempts. Roseburg’s proposed school construction package was second in size only to Beaverton’s, at $154 million. Voters rejected it 54% to 46%, according to partial returns as of Wednesday.
- Laura Gunderson, lgunderson@gmail.com, 503-221-8378