RICHLAND, Wash. – This November’s ballot features a multi-million dollar bond proposal for the Richland School District.
The bond will fund several major projects, including constructing a third high school if approved. The proposed $314 million bond addresses multiple educational needs, such as new schools to prevent overcrowding and new transportation for outdated vehicles.
Specifically, $233 million will be allocated for a new high school in West Richland. Additionally, $38 million will be used to create a smaller, innovative high school that will replace River’s Edge High School. Land purchases will require $20 million, while $19 million will be dedicated to canceling debt from the district’s 2023 levy.
Further investments include $16 million for new buses and transportation, $15 million for a new stadium and drama stage shop at Hanford High, and $10 million for various capital improvement projects, such as new tennis courts and parking lot updates. Lastly, $4 million is earmarked for a multipurpose room at Richland High School.
Rick Jansons, the Richland School Board President, highlighted the focus on creating better learning environments.
“The biggest need is that new high school in West Richland… costs have gone up everywhere, and construction costs in particular have gone up,” said Jansons. “We have about 900 high school students overcrowded now in our existing schools, and we need that new high school.”
According to the Richland School District’s website, the bond will result in the average homeowner paying 97 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. With Richland’s average home valued at approximately $456,000, this translates to an additional $442 annually or about $37 monthly.
“The board went through a process in putting together this bond,” said Jansons. “So this bond is really a reflection of what the board heard from our constituents.”
Despite this proposal, the community continues to discuss it, with some expressing concerns about the bond’s high cost and the time required for it to mature. The bond matures after twenty years, and some question the necessity of new schools in the area.
