The Centralia School District has officially passed its school levy by a total of 16 votes.
The district needed a simple majority, or 50% plus one vote.
The Lewis County Auditor’s Office certified the Feb. 10 special election results Friday, as did the auditor’s office from Thurston County.
The Centralia School District includes sections in the Grand Mound and Bucoda areas.
The district victory marks the end of a roller-coaster ballot count that had the measure trailing on election night. It gained the lead as more eligible ballots — which had been postmarked by election day — arrived via the mail.
“We are excited and thankful,” Superintendent Lisa Grant wrote in a statement to The Chronicle Friday. “On behalf of the School Board and entire District we want to thank our community for supporting our district and our students. We also want to give special thanks to the Citizens for Centralia Schools for their support and commitment.”
The final multi-county tally showed 2,593 voters responding yes to the levy and 2,577 voters responding no. In Lewis County, 2,551 voters responded yes and 2,507 responded no. In Thurston County, 42 voters responded yes and 70 responded no.
Now passed, the three-year educational programs and operations (EP&O) levy will replace the current levy in January 2027, after the current levy expires on Dec. 31, 2026.
The new levy will allow the district to continue funding a wide range of programs and services, including K-12 athletics, visual and performing arts, outdoor education, counselors, nurses, mental health specialists, summer school, technology and more.
To achieve this, the levy will tax homeowners in the district $1.70 per $1,000 of assessed property value in its first year for a total of $7,150,000. According to the district, a typical owner of a $400,000 home will pay $56.66 per month or $680 per year.
Five-cent increases in years two and three will net the district approximately $7,640,000 and $8,157,000 in property taxes, according to the district.
“While we are excited and thankful, we also take very seriously our commitment to be good stewards of the levy funds and to intentionally use them to improve student success,” Grant wrote. “We hold ourselves accountable for the return on investment our community makes in our district.”
She added, “I am proud to be a Centralia Tiger and proud to live and serve in this community.”
The February special election also featured two EP&O levies from the Boistfort School District and the Onalaska School District. Both passed at 76.95% and 55.25%, respectively.
The nearby Tenino School District in Thurston County also passed its six-year replacement capital levy at 52.65%.
