Voters pass half of school propositions

MAT-SU -- Proposition 1 and Proposition 3 have passed according to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough unofficial results of Tuesday's election. Though the approximated 2,100 absentee ballots have yet to be counted, initial results of the election show that deferred school maintenance will be taken care of and career and technical center plans are moving forward, while the district's charter schools will remain in their respective buildings, and the administration building will not be remodeled further.

"We're pleased that props one and three passed. The board's top priorities were in prop one," said Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District chief school administrator Bob Doyle Thursday. "We split up the propositions so that voters would have a choice, that's what democracy is all about."

Proposition 1, which allows the borough to incur debt up to $16,285,000 to build a career and technical high school center and a central district kitchen, appears to have passed with 6,052 "yes" votes versus 4,928 "no" votes. The bond also allows for a new grade school to be built within the Wasilla area.

While it seems the proposition is in the bag, there is still a small chance it could fail after the official tallying of votes, if enough absentee ballots voted against the proposition.

While passing in most voting precincts, Proposition 1 did not gain the popular vote in Farm Loop, Sheep Mountain, Big Lake, Houston, Susitna, Trapper Creek, Willow and Fairview precincts.

Proposition 3 passed with flying colors. More than two-thirds of the electorate voted in favor of the measure that allows the borough to incur debt up to $6,495,000 to fund 78 deferred maintenance projects throughout the school district. The proposition unofficially had 7,431 votes in favor and 3,711 opposed; the proposition passed in all voting precincts.

Propositions 2 and 4 both failed at the polls. Proposition 2, which would have allowed permanent sites for the district's two charter schools, lost with 7,082 votes opposed and 4,018 votes in favor. Proposition 4, which would have funded more remodeling at the district's administration building, formally Sherrod Elementary School, also failed, with 7,021 votes against and 3,965 in favor. Both propositions lost in all voting precincts.