PPS bond measure looks to be winning with early results
Published 8:10 pm Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong listens to principal Curtis Wilson Jr. talk about improvements in the cafeteria during a tour of the newly renovated Benson High School. Staff Photo: Jonathan House
Stairwells in the new Lincoln High School building, refurbished in 2022, offer lots of natural light and city skyline views. The old Lincoln was dark with low ceilings and little natural light. Courtesy Photo: Brian Libby
Early results in the May 20 special election look to be good news for Portland Public Schools. Its bond measure appears to be winning with 53.7% “yes” votes to 46.3% “no” votes.
For many Portlanders, this was the biggest issue on an otherwise low-wattage ballot. PPS had been looking to re-up a bond measure approved by voters in 2012, 2017 and 2020. If the results stay the same, the money will be used primarily to replace or renovate several PPS schools.
Turnout often is low in a May election with no high-profile, big-name candidates running for office, and this was no exception. As of Tuesday evening, the count of accepted ballots in Multnomah County had reached a tepid 18.5%. That was up considerably from end-of-day on Monday, which hit only 14.8%.
If the early results hold, the impact on property owners would not change. The property tax rate would remain where it is now, at $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. That hasn’t changed since 2017. The owner of a home assessed at $284,003 — the average assessed property value for residential property in the Portland Public Schools District, according to PPS Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong— would pay approximately $59 per month.
School board races
Early results show challenger Rashelle Chase-Miller leading incumbent Herman Greene, 56.6% to 42.7% for PPS Zone 4.
Incumbent Christy Splitt will keep her Zone 1 seat, while Virginia La Forte seems to be taking the Zone 5 seat and Stephanie Engelsman has an easy lead for the Zone 6 seat. Neither Zone 5 nor 6 featured incumbents seeking re-election.
There will be no surprises for the Portland Community College Board of Directors. Incumbents who ran unchallenged include Laurie Cremona Wagner in Zone 1; and Dan Saltzman, a former Portland city commissioner, in Zone 5.
With no incumbent in Zone four, unchallenged newcomer Brandy Penner will take the seat.
Gina Sanchez Roletto ran unopposed for Zone 7.
Other elections likely to be determined tonight include candidate races for Mount Hood community colleges’ boards of directors; other local school board and educational service district candidates; and special district elections such as the Multnomah Rural Fire Protection District.
Final election results will be certified by Monday, June 16.
