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Bond
BOND IS FOR BUILDING
Pullman School District voters will be asked to vote on one Capital Projects Bond on the Special Election ballot on February 13, 2026.
The Capital Projects Bond would provide funding to make necessary updates and repairs at school buildings throughout the district.
The Bond would allow us to…
- Prepare for continued growth
- Make necessary repairs to improve and modernize aging school buildings
- Make safety and security updates
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A bond is a local property tax passed by voters that generates revenue for the construction and renovation of school facilities for the growing student population. Bonds are used for big, long-lasting investments like building new schools, modernizing or renovating existing schools, making safety upgrades, expanding capacity, or replacing roofs and HVAC systems. They cannot be used for day-to-day operational costs like teacher salaries or classroom supplies.
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A bond helps fund safe and quality learning facilities. They also help protect the investment the community has made in our schools.
Capital Projects Advisory Committee
The Capital Projects Advisory Committee helps shape the ballot measures for the Pullman School District’s bond elections.
Cost of a Bond
Current Rate = $2.78
Proposed Rate= $2.86
Based on 2019 Assessed Valuation
| Assessed Property Valuation | Maximum Increase Above Current Bond Rate |
| $100,000 | = $8 per year |
| $200,000 | = $16 per year |
| $300,000 | = $24 per year |
| $400,000 | = $32 per year |
Frequently Asked Questions
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The easiest way to remember the difference between a bond and a levy is: Bonds are for building and levies are for learning. Bonds and levies provide schools with funds that must be used for specific purposes.
Levies
A Levy is a local property tax passed by the voters of a school district that generates revenue to fund programs and services that the state does not pay for as part of basic education. Because the funding provided by the state does not cover the actual costs to operate a school district, districts often use levy funds to hire additional staff, or for student programming and services that are underfunded or not funded by the state. Some of the many things that levies help to fund may include: extracurricular activities, special education, transportation, food service, operations, grounds and maintenance, preschool, and other activities.
Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levies (formerly called Maintenance and Operations levies) allow a school district to provide things like teachers, support staff, supplies and materials, or services that the state only partially funds. Funding provided by the state does not fully cover the actual costs to operate a school district, so levies fill in the gap.
A replacement levy is the renewal of an existing school levy that is about to expire. Typically, if a district is asking for a replacement levy to be approved by voters, it means that it is simply the continuation of an existing tax.
Bonds
A Bond is a long-term investment that authorizes the district to purchase property for schools, construct new schools, or modernize existing schools. Bonds are sold to investors who are repaid with interest over time from property tax collections, generally between 12-20 years.
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The Capital Bond Advisory Committee is responsible for recommending projects to include in the bond to the school board. The committee includes parents/guardians, community members, students, teachers, and district staff.
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When a bond is issued, the school district applies for a “credit rating,” based on its financial condition, from one or more nationally recognized credit rating agencies. This “rating” communicates the level of risk to investors who may choose to purchase the district’s bonds. The higher a district’s rating, the lower the risk to investors and the local taxpayer interest rate.
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Both bonds and levies require voter approval, but in Washington bonds require a higher majority of voter approval than levies.
Bonds require a supermajority to pass (60%).
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Yes! Washington State law provides two tax benefit programs for senior citizens and individuals who are disabled: property tax exemptions and property tax deferrals.
Senior Citizen and Disabled Persons Exemptions from Real Property Taxes