Did Pasco teachers and staff show up for crucial April school levy vote?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- About 60% of staff and teachers who live in the district turned out to vote.
- The $154 million renewal operations levy passed April 28 with 59% of voters in favor.
- About 32% of district voters turned out for the April levy, the highest in over a decade.
A super majority of Pasco School District employees showed up at the ballot box last month to voice their opinion on the $154 million renewal operations levy.
About 60% of staff and teachers who live in the district turned out for the April 28 special election, confirmed Anna Tensmeyer, Pasco’s director of public affairs.
That’s a substantial turnaround from the 36% who voted in the Feb. 10 levy election. That measure fell short of passing by just 60 votes — with 49.7% in favor and nearly 50.3% against.
“I’m pleased,” said Valerie Moffitt, a lifelong Pasco resident and retired schools campaign leader. “I hope that they learn the value of voting ‘yes’ for Pasco schools. An important lesson was learned.”
A double levy failure would have meant the loss of $50 million in annual funding for Pasco School District, which could have placed several hundred jobs at risk and ensured steep cuts to beloved programs, including music and sports.
Final tallies show the April 28 measure passed with overwhelming support that eclipsed opposition by more than 2,600 votes. About 59% voted in favor of the levy, and 41% were opposed.
Election data shows 32% of voters living in the school district — roughly 14,600 of 45,200 — cast a ballot on the issue.
It was the highest turnout for a Pasco school levy in more than a decade, and the widest margin of victory since 2018.
Support was driven by a robust digital canvassing effort that leveraged public data online to identify possible supporters, in addition to traditional electioneering like door belling and sending messages.
The teachers union also got more involved, with members on the street corners waving signs at commuters.
February’s failure was the first time Pasco School District voters rejected a levy since 2000.
Soon after, Moffitt, as a former campaign leader, offered her opinion on what happened: Voter apathy” was to blame, with young families, stakeholders and teachers too distracted, weary and overall busy.
She described the April result as having “less voter apathy.”
”I think that young families started paying attention and they got involved. That was commendable,” Moffitt told the Herald.
“Especially with the social media, because it made it easy to be involved. It’s not scary at all to be involved – it’s important to be involved.”
