Long before elections officials started counting ballots Tuesday night, Yakima County voters were counting pennies. And by the time they'd added up what a statewide initiative measure and four advisory measures from conservative activist Tim Eyman might mean to their pocketbooks, their minds were made up.
Eyman's Initiative 1366, which would cut the state's retail sales tax from 6.5 percent to 5.5 percent on April 15, 2016, was passing comfortably in Yakima County and leading across the state as of Tuesday evening. Meantime, three of his four non-binding tax advisory measures were passing here and showing strongly statewide.
Statewide Initiative 1401, which proposed tougher penalties for trafficking endangered animal species, was also leading by a wide margin in Yakima County and across the rest of Washington.
The election won't be certified until Nov. 24, but here's how it looked for the statewide measures in Yakima County:
Initiative Measure No. 1366 called for decreasing the sales tax rate unless the Legislature referred to voters a constitutional amendment requiring two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval to raise taxes, and legislative approval for fee increases.
Yes: 12,795 (62.66 percent)
No: 7,625 ( 37.34 percent)
Initiative Measure No. 1401 called for making the selling, purchasing, trading or distributing of certain animal species threatened with extinction -- and products containing such species -- a gross misdemeanor or class C felony.
Yes: 14,407 (71.01 percent)
No: 5,882 (28.99 percent)
And here's how some local money measures were faring:
 
Yakima County Proposition No. 1 (Local Sales and Use Tax for Criminal Justice)
Purposes The Board of Yakima County Commissioners
adopted Resolution 286-2015 concerning a
proposition to help fund both Yakima County
and the participating municipalities dealing with
law and justice issues and other public safety
and criminal justice services. This ballot
proposition, if approved, will authorize the
continued imposition within Yakima County of a
sales and use tax equal to three-tenths of one
percent (0.3%) for collection commencing in
2017 and continuing through 2022, to provide
funds to assist and maintain public safety and
further criminal justice purposes both for
Yakima County and the participating
municipalities.
Yes: 15,060 (73.95 percent)
No: 5,304 (26.05 percent)
East Valley School District No. 90
Proposition No. 1 --  Bonds to Renovate and Expand Schools
The Board of Directors of East Valley School
District No. 90 adopted Resolution No. 300-
14/15, concerning a proposition to relieve
overcrowding and improve student safety. This
proposition would authorize the District to:
renovate and expand East Valley High School,
construct two additions at East Valley Central
Middle School (one for classrooms and the
other for health/fitness and physical education
purposes), and expand the parking facilities at
Moxee Elementary School; issue no more than
$52,900,000 of general obligation bonds
maturing within 15 years; and levy annual
excess property taxes to repay the bonds.
Yes: 1,247 (60.89 percent)
No: 801 (39.11 percent)
 
Selah Park & Recreation Service Area Proposition No. 1 (Swimming Pool Improvements)
The Selah Park and Recreation Service Area
Board adopted Resolution No. 2-2015
concerning a proposition to acquire, construct,
install and equip swimming pool improvements.
This proposition would authorize the service
area to acquire, construct, install and equip two
new swimming pools, a "zero-entry" wading
pool, a bathhouse, a seasonal cover and
related improvements; issue no more than
$6.2 million of general obligation bonds
maturing within 20 years; and levy annual
excess property taxes to repay the bonds.
Yes: 1,506 (65.39 percent)
No: 797 (34.61 percent)

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