A down economy didn’t keep Bellevue voters from strongly supporting two school levies Tuesday. Both Bellevue School District issues were passing by more than 60 percent at the end of the first night of vote counting Tuesday.

Proposition 1, the district’s operations levy, had 12,970 yes votes, or 66.07 percent of the total. There were 6,661 no votes, or 33.93 percent.

The district’s second measure, a levy for for technology and capital projects, had 11,116 yes votes, or 61.44 percent to 6,976 no votes, or 38.56 percent. Both measures needed a simple majority to pass.

“We were very pleased with the results,” said School Board President Peter Bentley. “We really worked hard and had a lot of volunteers.”

Together, the two levies will raise $266 million for day-to-day expenses and construction of new facilities. The levies on the Tuesday ballot replaced expiring levies.

The operational levy, which will collect $191 million over four years, will pay for such things as salaries and benefits, transportation, athletics, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, and the district’s seven-period day.

The $74 million capital levy, to be collected over five years, will pay for technology improvements and capital-projects such as new computers, software licenses, teacher training, maintenance projects, sports-field renovations, and an upgrade to the former Ringdall Middle School, which houses students during remodeling projects at their native schools.

Bentley said school supporters were not overconfident going into the election, but noted that historically the Bellevue community has supported schools.

“We thought the community support was out there,” he said.

With the passage of the two levies, the owner of a home assessed at $600,000 will pay $1,414 in taxes in 2014, compared with a $1,140 tax in 2009.