Around the District

Capital Facilities and School Improvement Bond

Bonds are used for capital projects—the construction of new buildings, major renovations or land purchases and are financed for an extended period of time.

The last time local voters passed a school bond every project promised as part of that bond was completed on time—and under budget, including opening the new Bonney Lake High School and improvements to the District athletic stadium. Plus, money from that bond was used for improvements to the Sumner High School Pool and Sumner High School without collecting new taxes.

As families continue to move into the Sumner School District, we need to plan for future schools and new students. Currently developers contribute impact fees for each new single-family house built. Impact fees fund the purchase of portable classrooms to accommodate increased student enrollment, but the fees are not sufficient to cover the cost of new construction or facility modernization.

School district bonds are different than other taxes: voters approve a total amount of money. If property values go up, the rate per thousand goes down.

School modernizations are not just a cosmetic fix.
These projects will extend the useful life of our facilities for years to come.