Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle's School Levies (and other state funding issues)

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle's School Levies (and other state funding issues):

Seattle's School Levies (and other state funding issues)

Next Tuesday, Feb. 9th, Seattle voters will decide on the Seattle Schools' Operations levy and the BTA levy.  Both are renewals but at higher amounts than were voted on last time.

Most of you know this is a sticky wicket for me.  I've frequently spoken out frequently against capital levies but not because they aren't needed, but because I don't think this district spends the money in either levy in a transparent manner.  I'm also not sure of their priorities for spending and, given how much parent unhappiness there is out there on many issues, failing a capital levy might be a good way to get the district's attention.

Let's be clear on a few things.
- we need the Operations levy because it's 25% of the budget.  Whether we all agree on how they are spending the dollars, losing 25% of the budget would bring the district - and all its schools - to their knees.  We cannot have that happen.

- we need the BTA IV levy because of the high need for work on many, many buildings AND ongoing capacity management issues.  However, the focus of the spending should be on those issues and I'm not sure the list of items does have that focus.

(And please don't say, "oh, we can get the district to change that focus AFTER they get the money."  With levies, you are basically voting in a pot of money, Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle's School Levies (and other state funding issues):