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Tuesday, February 6, 2007

By Popular Demand

posted by on February 6 at 10:45 AM

The Stranger Election Control Board’s endorsement in today’s mystery school levy election (original run date: January 24):


Last week, like us, you may have found yourself asking, “Why am I getting a ballot in the mail? It’s January, right? Have I entered some strange alternate universe where we vote in the winter and have Christmas in March? Is this somehow related to global warming?”

All good questions. Turns out we’re voting on two separate school-bond levies, both of which replace expiring property taxes. (The vote is always in February—who knew?) The first, a six-year, $490 million capital bond, will pay for capital projects including school-building renovations, seismic upgrades, fire alarms, and sprinkler systems. The second, a $397 million operations levy, will help fund school operations. Although we’re less than thrilled with being asked to fund basic services through property-tax levies (isn’t funding education the state legislature’s job?), sending a message to the legislature is less important than providing basic education for Seattle’s kids. Vote yes on both levies.

RSS icon Comments

1

good idea.

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 6, 2007 10:54 AM
2

My ballot never came, and I'm inclined to vote no on both -- not because I'm a meanie that hates schools. But I hate these weird, bizarro elections we're constantly having around here. Why couldn't this have been on the ballot in November with everything else?

Posted by Dan Savage | February 6, 2007 11:01 AM
3

So... maybe it'll be okay with all you all if I skip this election?

Posted by Dan Savage | February 6, 2007 11:02 AM
4

I stared at my ballot for a couple weeks and then finally put it in the shredder. It's not that I don't care about the issue, it's just I don't think I should have to pay the postage. Money is tight!

Posted by elswinger | February 6, 2007 11:18 AM
5

Too late for you, elswinger, but absentee ballots can be dropped off at regular polling places.

Of course, with all vote-by-mail elections, this option becomes more difficult. But I believe there will still be places we cheapskates can drop off ballots sans postage.

Posted by Greg Barnes | February 6, 2007 11:29 AM
6

Dan,


They put these special elections in February rather than on the general election in November so that turnout will be small. That way a small dedicated group of activists will be able to dominate the results and get the result they want. Not very many people vote in these special elections, for just the reasons you allude to, so the remaining voters who do, get their voices amplified.

Posted by chunkstyle | February 6, 2007 11:31 AM
7

i'll vote YES only if they close the schools they promised to close. Can't believe the crybaby NIMBYs, if you haven't the cash you make cuts, it sucks but the reality of bleeding $$ is obvious...and it's amplified if you have less kids even attending these damn schools. I can't see how closing a handful of schools is NOT within reason.

Posted by NIMBY butthole | February 6, 2007 11:37 AM
8

Dan, you do not have permission to skip this election, for two reasons: First, it's got to pass, even if the election is held at a stupid time. If Prop. 2 fails, our schools lose 25% of their operating budget - everything that's not funded by the State. Music teachers? Gone. Art? See ya. Teaching assistants that improve teacher:student ratio? Later. And if Prop 1 fails, we lose critical funding for renovations, safety improvements, etc.

Second, there is a turnout threshhold for this election to be valid - there has to be 40% of the 2004 general election turnout. So show up, dammit.

Voting no because the election is on a weird schedule punishes public schoolkids because you're not in the mood to vote today. You're a strong supporter of good public schools, Dan, so you're better than that. Suck it up, and vote yes on both.

Posted by Bill Sherman | February 6, 2007 12:00 PM
9

Property owners unite! Vote NO to both levies. Yes Erika, it is the state's job to fund edcuation. Lottery money was also supposed to go to it. What happened with that?

Year after year, levies pass but the schools get worse. And the teacher's union is totally out of control - get them to budget and let's use those funds first before bleeding citizens that own houses.

Enough is enough!

Posted by Chip Chipmunk | February 6, 2007 12:02 PM
10

"The teacher's union is totally out of control" - maybe when teachers can afford to own property themselves I'll believe this.

Posted by jamier | February 6, 2007 12:14 PM
11

At 8 this morning I was the only voter in my polling place in lefty, levy-loving Wallingford. I see that Prop 1 has a minimum turnout mandated at 90,873 district voters and Prop 2 has a mandate of 54,524 YES votes. (These are in addition to 60% supermajorities required for passage.)

I wonder if it's possible that these turnout numbers will not be met?

Posted by DOUG. | February 6, 2007 12:17 PM
12

Maybe the SSD could save money by firing their Director of Equity & Race Relations and prevent a whole generation of white kids hating themselves for being "racist".

Posted by Andrew Hitchcock | February 6, 2007 12:25 PM
13

I voted "yes" on both questions because investing in education pays back in multiples well beyond the cost. Arguments against based on "state funding" ideals are total bullshit... Despite its flaws, voting "no" is the moral equivalent of kicking kids in the teeth.

Posted by High-Rise | February 6, 2007 12:38 PM
14

@8 - damned straight, Bill!

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 6, 2007 3:00 PM
15

Thanks Erica!

Posted by maria | February 6, 2007 3:20 PM
16

A property tax, eh? I should have sent in my ballot. Bad me. But enough with reaming the property owners. The levy should have a fairer form of taxation, perhaps a sales tax of some sort. Oh hey, I know! Let's add a tax on lattes!

Posted by lbc | February 6, 2007 7:10 PM
17

Let's have a tax on people stupid enough to believe Bush. Take half their money and tell them it's for invading Ireland.

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 7, 2007 1:00 AM

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