Portland, Oregon, to vote on tax hike to fix lead in schools

(AP) — Voters in Oregon's largest city are poised to vote on the biggest school bond in state history after a scandal over high levels of lead in the water at almost every Portland school.

The $790 million spending package that would raise taxes to address the crisis has generated intense interest in an otherwise sleepy election as residents revisit lingering questions about how administrators in the 49,000-student district handled the discovery of lead levels that surpassed federal standards in the water at dozens of schools.

The situation that bubbled up at the end of the last school year made national headlines and forced the resignation of the superintendent and two other top officials.

Every single drinking fountain in all 90 Portland public schools remains shut down to this day because of lead in the water.

The measure on Tuesday's ballot asks voters whether the district can borrow the money to finance repairs at schools across the district.

Some also wonder why the district once again needs money after voters passed a $482 million spending package five years ago that also raised taxes and was aimed at infrastructure repairs.