Nearly 100 school levies go before Western Washington voters

HomeHorthwest said on February 15, 2012 at 8:38 PM

Unless the state, county and municipal government address the unfunded pension and entitlement liability and COLA raises for retirees of the teachers and government workers the levy money will never make it to the classroom for the children. $24.1 Billion in unfunded government workers pension and entitlement liabilities. $2 Billion raid on Children's GET (Guaranteed Education Tuition) Trust fund and $253 Million default on interest payment to GET in 2010 to 2011. Unless the legislature address the unfunded pension and entitlement, no amount of levy or bond passage will ever make it to the classroom. It might get 6 month or one years worth of funding before government labor unions force the legislature to miss-appropriate the funds for unfunded pension and entitlements. The $24.1 billion in unpaid retirement pension and entitlements are just too tempting to give up without trying to steal the funds first and last and for the last 30 years!

wonderall said on February 15, 2012 at 10:26 AM

No superintendent, principal or other school employee should make that much money! $11,000 a MONTH. Some of that money should be going to pay for things for students. I have been in the schools in Granite and was surprised at how poorly some students were treated by teachers/staff. They do get decent pay and you know what you're getting into when you take the job there!

wonderall said on February 15, 2012 at 10:17 AM

WOW wazzujon, where is the comment that teachers are over paid! I said administrative people! Could it be a problem when a superintendant makes $132,000 a year!!! That's $11,000 a month. CRAZY WHY SO MUCH?

wazzujon said on February 14, 2012 at 9:38 PM

wow! Whats up with all the negativity to the school levies? The Supreme Court just ruled that our schools are super underfunded and you are all saying they are over funded? What about all the teachers laid off? What about all the supplies TEACHERS have to pay for because the school cant pay for them. What about all the supplies teachers pay for the students because their families cant pay for it. Go talk to ANY teacher and ask them how much they spend at the start of the class year on supplies for their room. We are talking about basic necessities, paper, pens, pencils, binders, etc. Parents should be paying for these, schools should be paying for these but its the teachers and you are saying they are over paid? Did you know in the state of WA if a teacher is laid off they dont get unemployment? My wife was laid off after her first year teaching 3 years ago. She went on unemployment and was trying to get work subbing. We had to pay it all back, yet you say teachers make too much. WOW!

care4thefuture said on February 14, 2012 at 7:19 PM

The irony is that our districts are so poorly funded which results in a less-than-adequate education for students - which in turn results in uneducated voters who vote "no" for schools. It's a vicious cycle. As long as our education system is under-supported, our citizens will continue to devalue schools and what could be a quality education for students. It's so typical - people want something for nothing. Teachers already did take a pay cut this year in case you forgot. Our administrators in my district took a big cut as well. Teachers everywhere were let go, transportation and supplies were cut drastcially in many districts. Yes, our education system is broken and it will take more than just money - but let's be realistic, WA State comes in 44th nationwide when it comes to funding per student. Only 27% of our state's total revenue goes to K-12. As long as our government continues to break the constitution, our districts NEED levy dollars to fund basic education.

intrepid1 said on February 14, 2012 at 4:10 PM

As to "Big Education"... nice right-wing Fox-news spin... there is no such thing. The U.S. spends a pittance on education as a percentage of GOP compared to other industrialized nations. If we spend 1/10th the total that we spend on the Pentagon each year, we'd have stellar schools... as is, we're starving public schools (who are required to educate everyone) and pointing to the success of private schools (which get to pick and choose who can attend) as a model for how schools should work... it's a concerted effort to create an "education market" that is controlled by for-profit interests on the tax payer dime... and if you're going to bash the schools and the teachers, how about YOU volunteer at schools or, better, get your teaching certificate and then go teach... walk in the shoes of the people you bash.

intrepid1 said on February 14, 2012 at 4:06 PM

... and nearly 100 will fail ... but mainly in conservative-dominated areas ...

wonderall said on February 14, 2012 at 12:02 PM

I live in Granite and in the last 5 years my taxes have gone up $300-400 dollars for the year, but the value has gone down $100,000, which is 1/3 reduction in the value from 5 years ago. The money is increasing for the school levy tax, but I think schools have gone downhill and many issue come from the school system. Maybe schools should manage the funds better and not pay as high wages for some positions (how much does a principal or superintendant make)? Why not do some fundraisers at the schools!

priv62 said on February 14, 2012 at 11:08 AM

awol50...do you really believe that all of the current levies will be voted down?

awol50 said on February 14, 2012 at 10:02 AM

Vote a big NO on all of them. Time to put BIG education on a diet like the rest of us already are on. Teachers can take a 20% pay and benefit cut like the average person has. Increase class sizes by 3-5. Cut administration headcount by 20% combined with a 20% pay cut. And put some competition back in k-12 education with vouchers for all. Then cut property taxes with all the money left over. Problem solved.

Daytrader said on February 14, 2012 at 9:45 AM

Most voters are getting tired of monies being thrown away at a drop of a dime in most school districts.

skok_cush said on February 14, 2012 at 9:07 AM

Just remember, WHen Property taxes go up, Your Rent Goes up. So all you renters who think this doesnt affect you, go ahead and vote to increase your rent. Libs complain about Big Box Stores, Big Oil, Big Pharmacuticals, Big Tobacco, why not grow a pair and and Put your anger toward somethin useful, like Big Education. They have more than too much money already. . . . . .they just waste and waste and waste, cuz afterall its not THEIR money.