Puyallup Schools asks voters for $800M bond to fight overcrowding and aging buildings
The Puyallup School District is experiencing significant growth, leading to substantial overcrowding in its schools, and is seeking assistance from voters. To address this issue, the district has implemented the installation of 221 portable classrooms. At Puyallup High School, approximately 450 students are accommodated in these portable classrooms on a daily basis; these facilities are separate from the main school structure and lack restroom facilities.
'Portables are not a long-term solution, they come with some challenges,' said Brady Martin, the director of capital projects for the school district.
Instead of more consistent funding to expand buildings as part of a comprehensive project, the district has added portable classrooms at around $450,000 each to accommodate the growth and react to the challenges of aging buildings.
Puyallup High School has 19 portable classrooms, six, of which, were opened at the beginning of this year in response to the district's need to close the science lab and library building, meaning much of that curriculum is not available for students there.
'We've had to take spaces that weren't intended to be used for a specific program. We've converted our staff lounge and made an art classroom, we've taken a biology classroom and turned it into a chemistry lab. Students and families are upset because they haven't had access to those while we were creating these spaces within the building. They're not adequate,' Martin said.
The district has several portables at Roger and Emerald Ridge High Schools and more at Mt View, Spinning, and Waller Road Elementary. The elementary schools have significant structural issues, so if voters approve an $800 million bond, the district plans to replace them and add another primary school.
'The things that people can't see driving by our buildings, what's in the walls, the slabs, the sanitary sewer, the plumbing,' Martin said. 'Those are things that need to be addressed and to address those properly including seismic enhancements to the building you really have to start over.'
If approved, the bond would not increase current taxes in the district. Last year, voters approved an increase to the district's levy to fund capital and maintenance projects. This vote, in the form of Proposition 1A, would extend that levy increase to 21 years, rather than the current six.
'I'm concerned about the experience our kids are losing by the loss of the facility such as this library science building,' said Superintendent Dr. John Polm, 'That limits students' ability to have a study area or anything like that you might expect in a comprehensive high school.'
If approved, Polm is hopeful that would help unlock nearly $152 Million in matching state funding that can only legally be applied for by districts who have passed bond measures. The Tuesday vote must achieve at least 40 percent turnout from the November election and get 60 percent support in order to pass.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
David Hogg's exit from DNC stirs mixed reaction
David Hogg's decision to forgo running again as a vice chair for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has generated mixed emotions among committee members. While some members were relieved, saying the controversy around Hogg's decision as a sitting DNC officer to primary incumbents created a distraction for the party, others voiced surprise or disappointment over the move announced Wednesday. The split may be an amicable one: Some Democrats said they'd welcome Hogg to work with the DNC after his exit. 'I think the overall sense is relief that we can finally move on from what has truly been a distraction from the good work that needs to be done to build up our party infrastructure and take the fight to Republicans each and every day and to make the case to American people that Democrats are able and willing to stand up for American values,' noted Michael Kapp, a DNC committee member from California. Earlier Wednesday, a majority of DNC members voted to redo its vice chair election of Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta The vote stemmed from a challenge by Oklahoma DNC member Kalyn Free, who had lost a bid for DNC vice chair. She alleged that the way the election was conducted unfairly advantaged the male vice chair candidates. The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee last month determined the entire body would vote on redoing the election. That challenge ran in tandem with a separate firestorm Hogg initiated when he announced he would be getting involved in primarying members of Congress in safe seats who he believed were ineffective. But that decision rankled members, including DNC Chair Ken Martin, who said he believed Hogg shouldn't be doing so while also serving as a DNC officer. Tensions came to a head this week, when leaked audio of a May Zoom DNC officers call, which was reported by Politico over the weekend, showed Martin expressing frustration with Hogg. The fallout from the leaked audio prompted some members to reconsider how they might vote over redoing the vice chair election. After Wednesday's committee vote, Hogg said he would bow out of another DNC election to focus his attention on his work around his group Leaders We Deserve. 'I have decided to not run in this upcoming election so the party can focus on what really matters. I need to do this work with Leaders We Deserve, and it is going to remain my number one mission to build the strongest party possible,' he said in his statement. Martin, in a statement, said he respected Hogg's decision and suggested the gun control activist would play a prominent role still within the party. 'I have no doubt that he will remain an important advocate for Democrats across the map. I appreciate his service as an officer, his hard work, and his dedication to the party,' Martin said. A source close to the DNC suggested the controversy swirling around Hogg didn't impact the party's mechanics but created an unnecessary distraction. 'It didn't sidetrack the work that mattered, but even a second spent talking about it was a second wasted that Democrats should've spent fighting Trump's bill to take health care away from millions of people,' the source said. 'David finally seemed to realize that.' John Verdejo, a DNC committee member from North Carolina, said he didn't expect Hogg's decision to forgo reelection. 'I was surprised and taken aback that he would decide not to run after the votes came in,' Verdejo said; he noted some members were relieved. Howard Chou, a DNC committee member from Colorado, noted he was 'indifferent' about whether he wanted to see Hogg run again. Still, he noted it was a 'loss' for members, saying, 'I'm a little bit disappointed all around because I really wanted to see his energy and leadership contribute to our success.' 'It's unfortunate that he decided to pull out,' said Clay Middleton, a DNC committee member from South Carolina, who suggested 'he would not have been able to face some of the questions again' during the second campaign for the job. Hogg's team declined to comment on that remark. Meanwhile, Kenyatta is on a glide path to being reelected DNC vice chair this week. Still, the Pennsylvania lawmaker has been candid that the process has been frustrating. 'Of course I'm frustrated, but I'm still here because I understand what is at stake,' Kenyatta told The Hill. Kenyatta said he's been busying traveling, to nine states and Germany. And in his role, he said he wants to see the party make races more competitive. 'That is my dream, that there is not a single race that does not have a Democrat on the ballot…,' he said. As for Hogg, Kenyatta has said he didn't want to see the gun control activist leave the DNC and 'be the leader that we deserved.' Hogg has made it clear he'll focus on his group and challenging ineffective members of Congress, noting there's been 'a serious lack of vision from Democratic leaders, too many of them asleep at the wheel' while others have died while in office. Many Democrats, even DNC members, also agree with the notion that the party should be making way for generational change and challenging members who are ineffective, though many have disagreed with the tactic to do so from the perch of the DNC. Hogg's efforts come amid a party struggling to figure out how to counter Trump and land on the same page around messaging heading into 2026 and 2028. Despite the controversy, however, some members say they'd welcome collaborating with Hogg in the future. 'I personally would have open arms to have him contribute, collaborate with us,' Chou said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
4 hours ago
- The Hill
David Hogg's exit from DNC stirs mixed reaction
David Hogg's decision to forgo running again as a vice chair for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has generated mixed emotions among committee members. While some members were relieved, saying the controversy around Hogg's decision as a sitting DNC officer to primary incumbents created a distraction for the party, others voiced surprise or disappointment over the move announced Wednesday. The split may be an amicable one: Some Democrats said they'd welcome Hogg to work with the DNC after his exit. 'I think the overall sense is relief that we can finally move on from what has truly been a distraction from the good work that needs to be done to build up our party infrastructure and take the fight to Republicans each and every day and to make the case to American people that Democrats are able and willing to stand up for American values,' noted Michael Kapp, a DNC committee member from California. Earlier Wednesday, a majority of DNC members voted to redo its vice chair election of Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta The vote stemmed from a challenge by Oklahoma DNC member Kalyn Free, who had lost a bid for DNC vice chair. She alleged that the way the election was conducted unfairly advantaged the male vice chair candidates. The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee last month determined the entire body would vote on redoing the election. That challenge ran in tandem with a separate firestorm Hogg initiated when he announced he would be getting involved in primarying members of Congress in safe seats who he believed were ineffective. But that decision rankled members, including DNC Chair Ken Martin, who said he believed Hogg shouldn't be doing so while also serving as a DNC officer. Tensions came to a head this week, when leaked audio of a May Zoom DNC officers call, which was reported by Politico over the weekend, showed Martin expressing frustration with Hogg. The fallout from the leaked audio prompted some members to reconsider how they might vote over redoing the vice chair election. After Wednesday's committee vote, Hogg said he would bow out of another DNC election to focus his attention on his work around his group Leaders We Deserve. 'I have decided to not run in this upcoming election so the party can focus on what really matters. I need to do this work with Leaders We Deserve, and it is going to remain my number one mission to build the strongest party possible,' he said in his statement. Martin, in a statement, said he respected Hogg's decision and suggested the gun control activist would play a prominent role still within the party. 'I have no doubt that he will remain an important advocate for Democrats across the map. I appreciate his service as an officer, his hard work, and his dedication to the party,' Martin said. A source close to the DNC suggested the controversy swirling around Hogg didn't impact the party's mechanics but created an unnecessary distraction. 'It didn't sidetrack the work that mattered, but even a second spent talking about it was a second wasted that Democrats should've spent fighting Trump's bill to take health care away from millions of people,' the source said. 'David finally seemed to realize that.' John Verdejo, a DNC committee member from North Carolina, said he didn't expect Hogg's decision to forgo reelection. 'I was surprised and taken aback that he would decide not to run after the votes came in,' Verdejo said; he noted some members were relieved. Howard Chou, a DNC committee member from Colorado, noted he was 'indifferent' about whether he wanted to see Hogg run again. Still, he noted it was a 'loss' for members, saying, 'I'm a little bit disappointed all around because I really wanted to see his energy and leadership contribute to our success.' 'It's unfortunate that he decided to pull out,' said Clay Middleton, a DNC committee member from South Carolina, who suggested 'he would not have been able to face some of the questions again' during the second campaign for the job. Hogg's team declined to comment on that remark. Meanwhile, Kenyatta is on a glide path to being reelected DNC vice chair this week. Still, the Pennsylvania lawmaker has been candid that the process has been frustrating. 'Of course I'm frustrated, but I'm still here because I understand what is at stake,' Kenyatta told The Hill. Kenyatta said he's been busying traveling, to nine states and Germany. And in his role, he said he wants to see the party make races more competitive. 'That is my dream, that there is not a single race that does not have a Democrat on the ballot…,' he said. As for Hogg, Kenyatta has said he didn't want to see the gun control activist leave the DNC and 'be the leader that we deserved.' Hogg has made it clear he'll focus on his group and challenging ineffective members of Congress, noting there's been 'a serious lack of vision from Democratic leaders, too many of them asleep at the wheel' while others have died while in office. Many Democrats, even DNC members, also agree with the notion that the party should be making way for generational change and challenging members who are ineffective, though many have disagreed with the tactic to do so from the perch of the DNC. Hogg's efforts come amid a party struggling to figure out how to counter Trump and land on the same page around messaging heading into 2026 and 2028. Despite the controversy, however, some members say they'd welcome collaborating with Hogg in the future. 'I personally would have open arms to have him contribute, collaborate with us,' Chou said.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
No Kings rallies set in GB, Larned
Jun. 12—Rallies and protests are taking place across the nation on Flag Day, June 14. Two "No Kings" rallies will take place in the Golden Belt. The Pawnee County Democratic Committee will sponsor a "No Kings" rally from 10 a.m. to noon next Saturday, June 14, at the Pawnee County Courthouse in Larned. Organizers said they will have a peaceful rally on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse. In Great Bend, the Barton County chapters of the League of Women Voters and Women for Kansas will sponsor a "Pro Democracy No Kings" demonstration rally from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the courthouse band shell. There will be speakers and live music. Participants are welcome to bring signs, flags, drums, lawn chairs and water. After the rally, they will march in protest on the courthouse square. Questions may be emailed to w4kgreatbend@ Pam Martin, chapter leader for Women for Kansas — Barton County, said both her group and the League of Women Voters are non-partisan and are protesting on an issue, not a candidate. "What we are emphasizing is, this is a nonpartisan issue," she said. "We welcome Democrats, Republicans and Independents — anyone that is concerned with the consolidation of power in the Executive Branch. This is going to be a celebration of our democratic republic that we hope to retain." That should concern everyone, she said. Martin said she hopes to see plenty of U.S. flags at the rally. "The flag belongs to us all." Janice Walker, president of the League of Women Voters — Barton County, said the two organizations teamed up "to continue to give a voice to the concerns people have regarding the impact of the various cuts this administration has made and how they can affect communities. "We want this to be peaceful, non-violent and full of good energy, as we encourage rally-goers to share their patriotic enthusiasm." Larned's rally Jaccques Molleker, chairperson for the Pawnee County Democratic Committee, will speak in Larned. His focus will be the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and exactly where the powers of government fall within the Constitution — what branch has what power. Committee members are making signs and he hopes there can also be someone who can speak from the viewpoint of agriculture and what impact tariffs have on this region. "Our rally is based on defense of the Constitution of the United States of America," he said. The "No Kings" title recognizes that "all public officials, when they are sworn in, take an oath to defend the Constitution." The Pawnee County Democratic Committee has been growing over the last four to six years and its members want to actively demonstrate what their beliefs are, he said. "Not everybody in western Kansas has the same beliefs about everything. We just want to be heard." Nationwide, No Kings Day on June 14 is described as a day of action and mobilization against the Trump administration and in support of democracy and the U.S. Constitution. There are at least a dozen No Kings protests organized in Kansas communities from Arkansas City to Wichita. Websites and list some of the locations. June 14 is also Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the Army and the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump. The U.S. Army's Birthday Festival parade and celebration will take place at 5:30 p.m. local time on Constitution Ave. NW between 15th Street and 23rd Street in Washington, D.C.
