The Salmon School District did not get the super majority it needed to pass a bond for a new school. 901 district voters said no to the $14.6 million dollar bond for a new combination elementary and middle school. Just 645 people said yes. This was the 9th failed bond vote for the small district on the Montana border.
Unlike previous elections this ballot had an alternate bond proposal. It was $3.6 million dollars for safety upgrades to the existing schools. Voters rejected that even more definitively; 1,184 to 354.
But Salmon residents will see a tax hike anyway. The district has qualified for state funds meant for schools with serious safety issues. The state has authorized up to $3.6 million to make the schools safe for use. The district can raise property taxes to pay that back.
Copyright 2013 Boise State Public Radio