Two Mid-Columbia school districts have renewal levies on the ballot for the April 28 special election. And for those Benton County voters already thinking about the November general election, there will be a special item included with each ballot, courtesy of a Finley high school student. 

The Pasco and Paterson school districts are both running renewals of their Educational Programs & Operations, or EP&O, levies.  

Voters narrowly rejected Pasco’s levy in February, prompting its school board to quickly decide to place it back before voters. The levy rate of $2.08 per $1,000 of assessed property value is slightly below what was requested in February but is at the same rate as voters currently pay, and, if passed, wouldn’t require budget cuts. 

It was the only Tri-City school district that didn’t pass a levy in February.

Paterson, which has a single kindergarten through Grade 8 school in south of Prosser in southern Benton County overlooking the Columbia River, is running its renewal levy for the first time. If approved, it would cost 78 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value through 2029, generating just under $1.5 million. 

Ballots are due to each county’s auditor’s office by mail or in ballot boxes by 8 p.m. today, April 28. 

Meanwhile, Benton County is already gearing up for the November general election, which will feature mid-term races.  

The Benton County Auditor’s Office announced that Neydin Padilla, a senior at River View High School in Finley, was the winner of its “I Voted” sticker design contest. The competition was developed to engage future voters in the election process.  

Neydin’s sticker design will be included in each Benton County mail-in ballot packet for the November general election.