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FARMINGTON — Early results from the Davis County election show 60 percent of voters in favor of a $298 million bond for schools in the Davis School District.
About one hour after the polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, early voting ballots had been reported, but results from the county's absentee and mail-in ballots were still being processed. Four of the county's 23 polling locations had been reported.
The bond is expected to bring a total tax increase of about $7.50 for families owning a home worth $240,000, the median home value in the district. That means a $1 to $2 increase per year over the five-year life of the bond. The tax increase will take effect in 2017.
District leaders plan to spend most of the money — $246 million — on new construction and property purchases. That includes a new high school in Farmington, a new junior high school in Layton and at least one new elementary school in northern Davis County.
The new high school would likely take on about 2,000 students, the junior high would enroll about 1,200 students, and the elementary would have 850 students, according to district spokesman Chris Williams.
The remaining $52 million would be spent on renovations or additions at several existing schools, including Viewmont, Woods Cross and Mountain high schools; Sunset and Mueller Park junior high schools; and West Bountiful Elementary. Those projects could include roof repairs, boiler replacements, air conditioning and other needs.
The bond was proposed to address the brick and mortar needs of a rapidly growing student population. In the past 15 years, student numbers in Davis have gone from just under 59,000 students to almost 70,000 students. Enrollment increased 800 students this year.
"We continue to grow. Every year, we grow anywhere from 500 to 1,000 students. And the growth is such that we have to have a new high school, a new junior high school and some other projects," Williams said.
Education leaders in the district have made varied efforts to handle the numbers. The district currently has five elementary schools that operate on a year-round schedule to accommodate a higher student headcount. District leaders have also made boundary changes to adjust school numbers where possible.
But in places where new buildings or additions aren't feasible, schools have been obliged to take on higher numbers beyond their capacity. If population projections hold steady and capital needs aren't met, Centennial Junior High School could go from having roughly 200 students to almost 550 students over the building's capacity of about 1,050 students.
Several schools in the district have resorted to filling their parking lots with portable classroom buildings as a way to handle more students. Without the bond, Davis High School was projected to need eight portables by 2018, Layton High School would need 14 portables, and Viewmont High School would need 19 portables.
Williams said many district residents recognize the need for more space. Most people who commented at public meetings hosted by the district have been supportive of the bond in light of how crowded their local schools are becoming, he said.
"We've gotten responses from people, saying, 'You've shown so much of a need. Why aren't you asking for more money?'" he said. "No question we have a need, but we also want to make sure we don't put too much of a tax burden on the back of taxpayers." Email: mjacobsen@deseretnews.com Twitter: MorganEJacobsen
