Community Education

Two ballot drop boxes moving to new locations

Two Gig Harbor-area ballot drop boxes are moving to new locations ahead of the Feb. 14 Peninsula School District levy request.

• The downtown Gig Harbor drop box will now be at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St. It previously was at Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One Station 51 on Kimball Drive.
• The Purdy drop box will be at the Purdy Park and Ride, 14567 Purdy Drive. It previously was at Fire Station 56 on 144th St.

The changes were made at the request of Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One, according to the Pierce County Elections Office. The new drop boxes will be open on Friday, Jan. 27, the day the elections office mails ballots to voters for the Feb. 14 election.

Drop box locations west of the Narrows Bridge include:

• Fox Island Fire Station 53, 906 Camus Dr., Fox Island
• Gig Harbor Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Dr.
• Gig Harbor Civic Center, 3510 Grandview Dr.
• Purdy Park and Ride, 14567 Purdy Dr.
• Lake Kathryn Food Market, 14220 92nd Ave.
• Key Center Food Market, 9021 Key Peninsula Hwy., Lakebay
• Home Park, 17220 8th Ave NW, Lakebay

Levy election

The elections office will mail ballots to Peninsula School District voters on Friday.

The district is asking voters to approve two levies: A Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy; and a Safety, Security and Technology Levy.

The three-year Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy, or Proposition 1,  would replace a current levy that expires at the end of the year. Levy funding would supplement state spending on staffing and programs, ranging from nurses and counselors to sports and clubs.

This levy accounts for about 18 percent of the district’s overall budget. It would cost taxpayers an estimated $1.13 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

The six-year Safety, Security and Technology Levy, or Proposition 2, would pay for expenses like enhanced safety, security systems and technology improvements across the district. The district estimates the security and tech levy will cost $0.25 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

The school district hosts an informational meeting about the levy requests at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at Evergreen Elementary School, 1632 Key Peninsula Highway SW in Lakebay.

The downtown Gig Harbor ballot drop box is now at the Civic Center, instead of Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One Station 51.