North Summit School District’s bid to pass a $114 million bond to replace its half-century-old high school was trailing in the still early results released Wednesday event.The measure was losing with 909 “no” votes and 694 “yes” votes out of 1,452 counted as of 10:20 p.m., or 44% of the total votes cast.The old high school is approaching a half-century old, falling apart, and is ill-equipped for today’s students, North Summit School District’s leaders say.The school was built in 1977, its swimming pool in 1966. The district put a $114 million general obligation bond to replace them on school district-owned land. District leaders waited until a bond passed in 2004 to build a new middle school was fully paid off in the spring before trying this one. The school board voted unanimously in August to put it on the ballot. For every $100,000 of home value for primary residences, that would mean a $118 annual tax raise. For second homes or businesses, that number increases to $215. The bond would have to be paid off in no more than 21 years.The district said the high school building “has many failing systems, making it necessary to replace. Building a new school at a different location will allow school to continue without disruptions while the new school is built. The new school will be able to provide the students with better technology, safety and more energy efficiency.”The plan is for the current building to be demolished when the new high school is completed, and then replace the old swimming pool at the location.Last August, when Holmes brought up the measure with the public, there were some obvious questions.“How do you propose that we’ll pay the tax bill?” one woman asked. “We have inflation, we have recession, we have downturn in wages. North Summit County has a high poverty level that does not contribute to the tax base. How, exactly, do you expect us to pay this?”  Holmes paused.“I think that’s a great question, and as I mentioned in the beginning, the last thing that this board wants to do is burden anyone with a tax increase,” he said. “Without crossing the lines of what my limitations are legally as a superintendent, I can assure you that we have not taken this lightly and we understand the burden. Do we fully understand what each household is going through? Absolutely not, but we know a tax increase is a burden.”But building is wearing out, and he wanted every high school student to have a good experience, he said.“I can assure you that the folks on this stage have honestly thought and agonized over your question,” he said. “What we are burdening you with is a decision. … If we say, ‘Well, we think this school can last another five years,’ that’s great. But there will come a time when the can that’s getting kicked down the road will have to be picked up.”  The candidates for seats on the school board by and large agreed with the superintendent.Asked a question in The Park Record/KPCW about taxation, incumbent candidate Waylon Bond mentioned the bond as a means of better serving the students in the district, while acknowledging the tax impact. Other candidates were more direct. “We desperately need a new high school and higher taxes are actually the cheapest way to do this,” said candidate Maggie Judi.“Our high school is old, falling apart and will soon be outgrown,” said incumbent candidate Clark Staley.“No one likes to pay taxes, but it is necessary. Someone before me paid for a school for me,” said incumbent candidate Susan Richins. “Now I need to do that for the next generation.”The post North Summit bond to replace aging high school trails with 44% of votes counted appeared first on Park Record.