School districts have once again been
forced
to play local levy roulette with the lives of all our children hanging in
the
balances. It is remarkable that the citizens of Washington State,
burdened
with the antidemocratic and antiquated requirements of the sixty percent
super
majority, so often manage to muster the support required. All
districts
and their students are not so fortunate. So many come very close, and
lose
to a minority -- who control the majority. These districts stand to lose,
not
only the levy monies, but the L.E.A. (Local Effort Assistance) revenues
from the
state that come only to those who pass their levies. Local and L.E.A.
revenues routinely amount to 15 to 20% of the total district budget.
All Our Children thanks true
citizens who have embraced the responsibility to give something back to
America
by investing in our future.
At present, the Washington State
legislature
is once again taking up the issue of a balanced budget. As the question of
new
revenue sources vs. spending cuts is resolved, the needs of our kids and
the
most vulnerable among us must come first. Every rational and
compassionate
member of society knows this principle. We act on it in our families
and
communities each day. It is time for enlightened elected
representatives
at all levels to have the wisdom to see our natural priorities and to
summon the
courage to act. It is also time for the rest of us to back them up.
After state legislators and the governor
have
acted, school administrators and board members will grapple with the
increasing
headaches of school finance. One in 8 students (12.5% state wide) in
Washington
is in the special needs population. Many administrators, board members and
others are under the impression that the special services programs in their
districts run large deficits. Please click on http://www.allourchildrenwa.org/Alerts.htm for a more balanced view of special needs finance. Be certain to
forward
this ALERT MESSAGE to those in your address book who need this vital
information.
William D. Perdue, Ph.D.
Executive Director
All
Our
Children of Washington