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SPECIAL ELECTION Ashland schools levy passing big Youth Activities and Academics Levy led nearly 3 to 1 in early returns Tuesday Comment By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 19, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated May 19, 2015 at 10:09 PM By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 19, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated May 19, 2015 at 10:09 PM » Social News Ashland residents were voting yes on the Youth Activities and Academics Levy by an overwhelming margin Tuesday, with 72 percent of the votes in favor with roughly 20 percent of the vote counted. The levy, which has passed comfortably four times since it was first introduced in 1994, appeared poised to do so again. Officially named measure 15-134, the levy received 3,830 yes votes of 5,291 cast as of 8 p.m. Tuesday night. The victory won’t become official until all the votes are tallied later this week, but with 72.39 percent of the ballots so far in the yes column, YAAL committee chairperson Leslie Gore celebrated an unofficial victory Tuesday night at home with her family. “I’m actually delighted and so appreciative that I live in Ashland,” said Gore, whose 10-member committee began a campaign to get the five-year levy renewed in February. “I’m also thankful that the numbers were still strong. I wanted to have a really strong showing.” The levy will require residential property owners within the district’s boundaries to pay $1.29 for every $1,000 of the assessed value of their home annually. The levy provides roughly 10 percent of Ashland School District’s annual general fund revenue — that was $2.6 million for the 2014-15 school year. It funds middle school and high school academic programs and extracurricular activities, as well as district-wide guidance services. It also supports library services, grounds maintenance and elementary school programs such as music and art lessons. Ashland High has 18 OSAA sports teams, all of which are fully funded, and nine club sports teams that are partially funded, according to Athletic Director Karl Kemper. Students who chose to compete in an OSAA sport at AHS do not have to pay to play, which is standard practice throughout Oregon. Participation fees can cost student-athletes $200 or more per sport. Roughly 50 percent of Ashland High students participate in at least one sport and close to 80 percent participate in at least one extracurricular activity, according to Kemper. “I would say it’s an exhale for me, personally, in that if it hadn’t passed, I would have really second-guessed what more we could have done,” Gore said. “But the reverse side of that is my email is lesleylovesashland, and I have that philosophy that a lot of people who moved to Ashland have come here to create this kind of community. This vote reinforces my philosophy that people in this town care about their kids and their schools.” By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 19, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated May 19, 2015 at 10:09 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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