Anchorage Daily News

Anchorage voters on Tuesday rejected all three school bond packages that appeared on the ballot. The bonds totaled nearly $100 million and would have paid for school remodels, ongoing high school renovations and districtwide repairs and upgrades.

As their defeat became apparent, schools Superintendent Carol Comeau blamed the loss largely on the community's general resistance to any bond proposition that would raise property taxes.

"I don't think it's fair to take it out on the kids and staff and the schools," Comeau said. "I was optimistic because I firmly believe in the community, and so I'm very disappointed now. I think these bonds got caught up in this whole anti-bonds, anti-taxes mayor's race and it's obvious to me, looking at all the results all down that line, that most people voted for bonds or voted against them."

Comeau said the district could try to pass at least some of the failed bonds again through a special election. The district will survey voters to figure out why the bonds failed and what approach might work this time, Comeau said.

The school bonds would have cost property owners an estimated $18.85 more a year in taxes per $100,000 assessed value, if the state comes through with its share of the bill.

The bonds included the $20.9 million Proposition 9, mainly maintenance-geared projects; the $30.8 million Proposition 10, to remodel Chester Valley and Sand Lake elementary schools and design and plan for future projects; and the $48.2 million Proposition 11 for ongoing renovations at city high schools.