Issaquah City Council unanimously backs reduced $231.6 million school bond ahead of Feb. 11 special election

The Issaquah City Council on Jan. 21 unanimously approved Resolution 2025-02 endorsing the Issaquah School District’s Proposition 1, a $231,600,000 general obligation bond that will appear on the Feb. 11, 2025 special election ballot.

The endorsement followed a public hearing during which parents, school board members and business leaders urged passage to relieve overcrowding and improve school safety, while several residents and a community group opposed the measure, citing cost, interest and traffic impacts.

The council’s endorsement matters because the city represents voters who live inside school district boundaries and because the bond seeks to maintain the district’s projected combined tax rate at $3.09 per $1,000 of assessed value, a point repeatedly cited by proponents.

School board president Martie Moraldo presented the district’s case, saying the reduced bond "reflects changes based on community feedback" and describing the measure as focused on a new high school and safety upgrades. "We are going to maintain our current projected tax rate of $3.09 per $1,000," Moraldo said. She told council members the largest portion of the bond — about $138.7 million — would fund a new high school and that the bond would be paid off within 11 years.

Parents and board members described overcrowding at Issaquah’s high schools. "Strong public schools are fundamental pillars of our community," said Kevin Nichols, who identified himself as an Issaquah parent. Several speakers, including Sydney Mullings, who said she also serves on the Issaquah School Board, pointed to high test scores and program breadth while arguing that rising enrollment has outpaced existing capacity.

Opponents pressed the council to withhold endorsement. Dave Osborne, who identified himself as chair of the CCARE PAC, said the district understates total cost when bond principal is combined with interest and fees. "They mislead you and the voters by not mentioning the fact that their $231,000,000 does not include an additional ... in interest and fees," Osborne said, asserting the district’s total long-term cost was higher than the ballot figure.

Council members heard both lines of argument. Several said they supported the district’s revised, narrower measure after the November bond failed to reach the 60% supermajority. Council discussion emphasized the local economic and quality-of-life consequences of overcrowded schools, plus a new capital projects oversight committee the district plans to convene.

Council President Walsh (serving as mayor pro tem) put the resolution to a voice vote; council members present voted aye and the motion passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 2025-02 (supporting Issaquah School District Proposition 1, $231,600,000 general obligation bond) — moved (unnamed council member in transcript), second (unnamed), outcome: approved (unanimous voice vote). The council’s recorded discussion and vocal yea signaled institutional endorsement rather than legislative spending authority, which remains with the school district and its voters.

The district’s timeline, cited by presenters, notes a building permit for the preferred high school site expires in April; speakers said delay could require redoing permitting and SEPA review, pushing construction back several years. Proponents repeatedly said the reduced scope responds to voter concerns after the November vote, while opponents recommended alternative capacity strategies such as restructuring grades or reexamining boundaries.

The public hearing included multiple community speakers and school board members who provided the district’s materials and data to council; speakers encouraged voters to review the district’s Q&A information online. Council members who spoke during debate said they would cast their votes in favor of the resolution because they view overcrowding and upgraded security as community priorities.

The council’s endorsement is advisory: the bond will still require voter approval on Feb. 11. Council members said they expect increased public outreach before ballots are cast.