Comments

1

The Mayor's plan levies a property tax (as it should).

Maybe the ulterior motive is to avoid that.

2
IIRC, Burgess is a charter school fan and good buddies with the ed reform/privatization crowd in Seattle (TFA, Alliance for Ed, LEV, etc). I'd definitely be questioning his plans.
3
This all feels very heavy-handed. I can speak from the perspective of someone who writes about Seattle Schools. SPS is getting a very big push from the City (and others) to get on-board with the City's plan. The City (especially some on the Council) continue to NOT believe that the district has a real capacity management problem and there is no extra room for more preschool.

As well, the district's legally funded mandate is K-12, not preschool (except for Special Ed pre-K). The City presumes that the district has the manpower and resources for their project. They really don't.

As well, when Burgess and his 40-member posse went on their multi-city trip earlier this year to look at preschool efforts in other cities, SPS paid for 5 staffers to go. One didn't go and the district lost those dollars. Others used Title One funds, baseline funds and even facilities funds to go on the trip. Going to visit preschools IS not the use for these funds.

I also note, from public disclosure e-mails from the City, that when one Board member - writing as a private citizen to the City Council on the preschool initiative - raised real concerns about the initiative, City staff and Burgess tut-tutted that she needed "educating."

That kind of push, that kind of we-know-what-is-best attitude is not good and I am finding myself less and less willing to support the City's efforts.
4
So who at City Council leaked the memo illegally? I'm guessing the Godfather of Preschool sent one of his guys over there. Shouldn't Holmes be investigating this since he's freed up staff time by not prosecuting pot tix anymore?
5
When they polled me on this, I never thought they would use it to kill 107 funding their unfunded Pre-K
6
In the interest of "sunshine" and the public disclosure principles they claim to hold so dear, The Seattle Times should share the city's I-107 fiscal-analysis memos with the public. They needn't disclose their source, but there is no reason to assist the city with its bogus attorney-client privilege excuse. Unless of course, The Seattle Times ALSO feels the numbers in the memo won't withstand public scrutiny... Hmmm.
7
What Westello said.

It should also be noted that the city expected our K-12 system to fund a junket around the country and the state is failing to fund K-12 and classrooms are horribly underfunded.

Burgess and the Family and Education Committee have been withholding Family and Education dollars from extremely high poverty schools.

Burgess wants to fund preschool teachers the same as K-12 teachers. I applaud this effort, but I don't see the dollars.

The Union plan will fund professional development for 4500 teachers and will increase teacher pay to $15/ hr. The city's plan will send 2000 pre-k children to school. The plan is considered "universal", but it isn't. The union plan would give 4500 teachers skills that will pay-off for many many years.

Lastly, Prop 1 passed and the city will have dollars to fund professional development for the union's plan and provide preschool workers with higher levels of pay.

8

I really hope Anna Minard stays on the I 107 and leaking of information to the Seattle Times because funny things happen down at City Hall.

You might also want to look into the fact that the homeless received a rapid rejection of the Federal Reserve Building. The Downtown Association wants the Federal Reserve Building to be used as a PREK-5. What does Tim Burgess and City Council members think about rapid rejection of Fed. Bld to homeless?

Ed Murray and Burgess REALLY want their preschool initiative to pass. Afterall, it is a big item with the Democrats. As a matter of fact, Murray met with the U. S. Secretary of Education- Arne Duncan- and other pooh-bahs in Washington DC. At what length would Murray and Burgess work to further their agenda?

http://www.ed.gov/news/media-advisories/…

The Chamber of Commerce has supported Burgess/ Murray in their efforts. As a matter of fact, the delegation went to Washington DC to promote their pre k plan:

http://www.seattlechamber.com/News/Artic…

Please stay on this story Anna. I smell stink.
9
Why are there behind the scene mechaninations to hault I 107? Ask to see the BERC report and you will find that the city will pay the PFA Director $200K, Assistant PFA Director $170K, Finance Manaer &170K, Data and Eval. Mr $169K, Ourtreach coordinator $156K, Quality Control Mgr.$156K, Strategic Advisor $144K and the list goes on.

Is it too much to provide workers with $15/hr. Business as usual at old City Hall.

Please wait...

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