COLUMBUS – Voters said “Yes” to a $1 billion bond package for the City of Columbus in Tuesday’s primary election, though they said it very quietly.
The Franklin County Board of Elections reported that only 7.28 percent of registered voters cast ballots.
The five bond issues on the ballot in the city, which are intended to raise funds for infrastructure improvement and other initiatives, were approved by an a margin of about three-to-one.
School issues did not fare as well, going down to defeat in Groveport-Madison, Hamilton Township, Amanda-Clearcreek, Walnut Township (by three votes) and Licking Heights.
The results are preliminary as the board of elections must begin the official canvass of primary election ballots by May 22 and certify the totals by May 28.
Approval of the bond package will let the city take on as much as $1 billion more in debt to pay for renovations to roads and bridges, underground utilities and other infrastructure.
Near the top of spending among issues approved Tuesday is a new municipal courthouse, estimated to cost about $130 million.
Voters also approved reserving $50 million for affordable housing as Columbus prepares for a regional plan to address what experts say is a 54,000-unit shortage.
The Columbus Dispatch reports this is the largest bond package approved since 2008, when voters passed a $1.7 billion debt plan, mostly to pay for water and sewer projects.
The projects won’t raise taxes, but the city could raise property taxes if it can’t repay the debt.