The Bainbridge Island School District may go back to voters to ask for $15 million property tax increase so the district will have enough money to build the new Bainbridge High 100 Building and finish other capital projects.

District officials have said funding is lacking to complete the projects that were supposed to be funded by the 2016 bond measure, which also financed the replacement of Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary as well as a new 100 Building and theater on the BHS campus.

The 2016 bond totaled $81.2 million, including $39 million for replacing Blakely Elementary, $30 million for a new BHS 100 Building and $12.2 million for district-wide repairs and renovations.

The district has struggled to plan and complete those projects due to rising costs, and officials note that Seattle ranks first in construction activity in the U.S. and Bainbridge has had to directly compete with Seattle for labor resources and materials.

According to an agenda note for next week’s board meeting, Tamela Van Winkle, executive director of BISD Facilities, Operations and Capital Projects: “Our region is facing unprecedented escalation and historic market conditions stemming from a boom in construction. This boom, coupled with tariffs, tax increases and additional code compliance requirements, has caused BISD construction expenses to outpace the funds available from the 2016 bond.”

Earlier this year, the district set up a committee called the Superintendent’s Advisory Workshop to review and address funding alternatives.

The group, made up of school board members, staff, administrators, union representatives and community members, has met three times and will give its recommendation to the school board at its Oct. 11 meeting.

At the group’s last meeting, members unanimously agreed to recommend a six-year $15 million levy.

The levy, members said, would provide crucial money for the renovations through 2025.

The SAW committee will ask the school board to approve a ballot measure for the $15 million levy request, and have it placed on the ballot in February 2019.

The levy, if approved by voters, is expected to raise property taxes by 33 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Based on an average assessed value of $660,520 for a property on Bainbridge, officials said, households will see their property taxes rise by $214 per year.