UPDATE | ‘No’ votes continue to lead ‘yes’ votes in Redmond proposition early results

Published 9:40 pm Tuesday, August 4, 2015

King County Elections posted its latest round of primary results at 3:45 p.m. Thursday.

At the Reporter’s press time, Redmond’s Proposition 1 had a “no” percentage of 53.05 (3,956 votes) and a “yes” percentage of 46.95 (3,501 votes). Proposition 2 had a “no” percentage of 54.06 (4,037 votes) and a “yes” percentage of 45.94 (3,430 votes).

Both propositions need a simple majority to pass.

A percentage of 23.78 of the ballots had been counted: 6,675 out of 28,075 registered voters.

Proposition 1 addresses public safety, infrastructure and walkability.

If passed, the measure would cost about $18.13 million over the course of six years — just a bit more than $3 million per year.

Under the public safety umbrella, Proposition 1 would go toward maintaining services provided by the city’s 2007 levy measure. A large part of that levy funded for 17 new police personnel to support police operations and programs, including school resource officers (SROs) in local schools. In addition, Proposition 1 would continue to pay for the 18 firefighters for Fire Station 12 in Overlake and Fire Station 17 in north Redmond who were also hired through the 2007 levy.

If passed, Proposition 1 would also fund five new employees for the Redmond Police Department (RPD), including two neighborhood resource officers (NROs), two new officers to focus on property crime investigating and a new full-time evidence technician.

Proposition 1 would also fund infrastructure work throughout Redmond neighborhoods such as asphalt and pavement maintenance. In addition, the measure would focus on pedestrian safety, which would include installing sidewalks in and around school zones to make sure kids walking to and from school are safe. The levy would also pay for crosswalk safety improvements such as speed radar signs and flashing beacons as well as improvements on current markings crosswalks, making them clearer for all to see.

Proposition 2 — a six-year, $6.9 million levy — focuses on capital projects in the parks department and parks maintenance.

On the capital side of things, the levy would go toward investing in three neighborhood parks — Southeast Redmond, Westside and Northeast Redmond parks. Proposition 2 would also pay for redoing the parking lot at Idylwood Beach Park, which is currently inadequate when it comes to accommodating the number of visitors it sees each year.

In addition to these larger projects, Proposition 2 would pay for smaller capital projects throughout the parks system.

And just as Proposition 1 will replenish funds that came from the city’s 2007 levy. This money helped the parks department continue some teen programming as well as projects within Redmond’s forestry program.

The next election results update will be today at 4:30 p.m.

The results will be certified at 4 p.m. Aug. 18.