With 20 ballots left to count from the Feb. 9 special election, the margin of support for the Coupeville School District’s maintenance and operations levy is climbing higher.

As of Thursday night, the maintenance and operations levy is passing with 60.38 percent of voters approving the proposal. That percentage is slightly higher than the initial count released Tuesday evening by the Island County Auditor’s Office. The latest results show 2,248 voters in the school district approved the tax while 1,475 voters rejected it.

A second proposal to help the Coupeville School District upgrade its computers and technology is also passing by a wider margin. The technology levy would allow the school district to replace its computers, buy a new phone system for Coupeville Elementary School and pay for training for school district employees.

As of Thursday night, the technology levy was passing by a 57.82 percent majority, with 2,149 people supporting it and 1,568 people rejecting it.

A third proposal transforming two Coupeville School Board seats to “at large” positions was passing by a 75.8 percent majority.

The reauthorization of the maintenance and operations levy will allow the Coupeville School District to collect $2.17 million in 2011. That amount will increase over the next several years to a high of $2.47 million in 2014. The levy funds staff positions, material purchases and advisors and coaches for school district activities. Property owner will pay $1.08 per $1,000 assessed property value for the operations levy. That amount will climb to $1.14 per $1,000 assessed property value in 2014.

The technology levy is a new tax which will bring in $300,000 a year for the next four years. It will cost homeowners 15 cents per $1,000 assessed property from 2011 to 2013. That amount drops to 14 cents in 2014.

The technology levy will allow the school district to replace its computers, buy a new phone system for Coupeville Elementary School and pay for training for school district employees.

As of Thursday night, the technology levy was passing by a 57.82 percent majority, with 2,149 people supporting it and 1,568 people rejecting it.

Combined, both levie will cost a homeowner $1.23 per $1,000 assessed property value.

Several other ballot measures are also passing comfortably.

The South Whidbey School District had two levy proposals, a maintenance and operations levy reauthorization and a technology levy, on the ballot. They were passing by 62.93 and 61.24 percent majorities.

The South Whidbey Park and Recreation District also had a levy proposal on the Feb. 9 ballot. That, too, was passing by a comfortable, 62.31 percent majority.

To leave a comment, you will need to register an account with our site (or use your Facebook login).

We'll be gathering feedback on this process, so please give the new features a try and let us know how we can improve.