Supermajority Formula For Bond Issues Stays In Place

The supermajority 60 percent formula to pass bond issues will stay as is after a proposed constitutional amendment to ask voters to lower that requirement to a simple majority failed Tuesday in the Senate. Yakima County Assessor Dave Cook says the supermajority is in place to protect a majority of taxpayers "especially when you're talking about a 30 year responsibility for a bond for a replacement of a building or something like that. That's the reason the 60 percent supermajority is in place now."
Republicans were not swayed by arguments that a small amount of voters shouldn't be able to stop construction of public school buildings. They say taxpayers need protection.
Some school districts, like the West Valley School District struggle for years to pass bond issues, collecting more than 50 percent support but failing to get the supermajority. West Valley recently passed a $59 million bond that was on the ballot since 2009.