Vague, Regressive Taxes – like a Soda Tax, Aren’t Going to Save our Public Schools
I’m becoming increasingly wary of slick political campaigns which promise to help our resource starved public schools, and once enacted, end up doing more harm than good.
How can you spot one of these campaigns – besides the big money spent on advertising? The lack of details. These initiatives are always short on specifics and high on gushing testimonials on just how much they care about kids.
Evidently, the power of caring alone proves their plan is worthy of support. Messy details are explained away in the same way: We care so trust us with the money.
Inevitably, once the initiative passes, what sounded like a good idea ends up adding another layer of bureaucracy.
Even more frustrating, once created, this bureaucracy quickly becomes more focused on serving the interests of the political class and their financial backers, than helping actual students.
The Families and Education Levy
I learned this lesson the hard way, by supporting Seattle’s Families & Education Levy in 2011.
This $231,562,000 initiative promised to fill in the gaps created by McCleary and help struggling kids prepare for college and career.
It sounded so good, what could go wrong?
Parents found out pretty quickly.
What was billed as Seattle’s way to make up the money Olympia refused to supply, quickly transformed into a mini No Child Left Behind.
Test scores and subjugation to the Levy’s rigid rules of compliance quickly came to the forefront. Business discipline was meted out to those school who had the gall to refuse Vague, Regressive Taxes – like a Soda Tax, Aren’t Going to Save our Public Schools. | Seattle Education:
