I am somewhat dismayed at how the government just tries to fix "the vote"....I believe that 50% is not the "special interent groups" to get their way....just because you own property does not mean that you agree with their position

Not only should the rule be changed to 50% but school districts should also change their election cycle to line up with the November General election. "Change" is a concept education is used to...so make the necessary changes in the laws to allow a November election system and give them the 50% rule for passing levies.

I think we should stay with the 60% that is more in align with the "majority rule" not in the 50% range.

Brad

I think a simple majority is fine, although I don't believe that making the schools forcast budgets in order to satisfy a November voting is being fair to the school districts.

Most voters vote by mail, so expense is not really the problem. We have been incurring those expenses for decades.

The property owners are the ones that Pay for these levies. They should be the voice, not a political party.

I would like to see it changed to a 50% vote. I also think moving the voting to November when more people are thinking about these issues would ultimately save taxpayers money and the school districts would have a higher sucess rate.

Change to 50% IF Vote is conducted in Primary or General Election AND only Legal Property Owners within the District are allowed to vote!

Sandy

When fuel cost increased, or teachers resign how do these districts allow for "difference" if they are forecasted out an additional 1/2 school year. In order to be on the November ballot, the district would be preparing levy numbers in the summer, instead of the fall for a Feb vote. In the fall they already have enrollement, and can forecast, but in summer, how do you count enrollment?

I would rather my district use it's time teaching my children, than changing a budgeting system, that works just fine.

Jorgen

Right On.....Only Property Owners get the vote!!!

It might be hard to pass those levies, but it would be a move in the right direction for those PAYING for it.

I have no children in school now, but I still support the district. If I didn't, my property would be of less value. Schools are a big draw for a family when selecting a home.

I am a home owner. And I am against 50%. Majority of last elections 50% were not home owners. So they didn’t care about property taxes. I am not against helping schools – I have 5th grader. I would pay 2-3 times more if I knew that my money will be spending for what I pained for – schools. But I am pretty sure that big part of it goes to something else but not schools. And until I will be convinced other wise - I will always vote against it.

I'm ok with the 60% majority , it has worked well. I would like to see the levies moved to the regular november voting dates. Why would hetrosexual couples have to wait until age 62 to attain the same benefits as homosexual couples in that stupid bill being worked on , talk about discrimination!!!!!

This is just another agency of our government that does not function within it's budget. I believe our state funds schooling? What's the problem? I heard the woman on your program say that most people are propery owners. WHAT? I disagree. Most people do not live with cost of living raises. We still need to protect our tax payers with the 60 percent vote. I'd like to see the districts make adjustments rather than just keep begging for more money from those of us that are living within our budgets. My Puyallup school district has half days once a week that it counts as a full day of teaching. Why give more money to a program that teaches our children less? No wonder more folks are in debt if our school system itself can not even funtion with it's state supported budget.

The problem with running in November is that school districts cannot do much to communicate with the voters on these vital issues. It takes an organized volunteer force who works months before the election date. Logically, most of the volunteers are parents who would not be able to do this work during the summer months, whci his what would be necessary if the lection is in November. I know this, because I have chaired a few elections in my district. This took too much time and money to do because of the supermajority. I favor the simple majority for both levies and bonds so parent volunteer hours can be used in the academic arena instead of the political one. The State should be paying more in basic education as well. We are using our levy dollars to backfill costs that fall under basic education, transportation and special education. I would like our community to be able to propose and pass levies based on the unique programs we would like our students to have over a basic education but right now, this money is life blood.

The 60% rule should stay. Everytime the school district makes a mistake or has a problem they look to the public to bail them out. I see the superindent is getting a nice raise, how about getting our schools in order before more money is given out in raises, this includes teachers. I have said this for a long time, if you have children in school you need to pay more. The more children you have the more you pay. Not everyone can go to their boss and say "I am financially in trouble give me more money". They would be laughed out of their job.

I am sorry. I just don't get it. Could someone please just explain to me--WHERE IS ALL THE MONEY!
I'm 45 yrs.old and have lived here all my life.
I can remember how it was (in school), and every where else in the state before we had a lottery.
Things were pretty good.But now, years later, after big population gains(tax potential)-and big increases in the cost of goods and services,phone-cell phone-elecricity-propane-nat.gas-oil-tires-shocks-clothes-shoes-kids stuff-pet stuff-some foods- resturaunts-cars-trucks-trips-hotels-realestate-car tabs-boat tabs-everything,EVERYTHING!-- on and on and on. Think about all that tax money!- revenue!- income for the state.
Add to all this, the lottery...... (Does anyone remember what the lottery was supposed to help)?An absolutley huge increase of income for this wonderful state. Hundreds of millions, maybe billions of extra. That's right "EXTRA" income. After all this time, and after all this money, the state is NO better off than it was wayback when. (It might even be worse). How in the hell did this state survive so long without a lottery???????
AND WHAT IN THE HELL HAS OLYMPIA DONE WITH (ALL) THE MONEY SINCE STARTING THE LOTTERY?????????????

This state should be rolling in cash. Lots of it. Schools included. (Not just included but put at the top of the list) when it comes to funding.

We do not need to "change" any law. We do not need to "create" any new law.

What we dooooo need, is make or force "OUR GOVERNMANT" to be responsible to "US"
It is "OUR" government. They're supposed to work for "US". Has everyone really forgoten??

I'm sorry, i just don't get it. Could someone please just explain to me-- WHERE IS (ALL) THE MONEY?!?!

p.s.
let us not forget who/or what party has ben running olympia for the past twenty some odd years.

I think that school levies should be held to the same standards as nonessentials (i.e. stadiums). That is, they should be able to continue to choose their election days (given the current framework) and 50% +1 majority. If you make these elections in November however, make other tax increases in november as well. All I want is parity.

Super-majority should be flushed down the toilet. That is, of course, if the toilets in your student's school are working. It's a heated debate for sure, but don't look for it to be too warmly discussed when the school's boiler is also out-of-order at the same time. Bring in those Port-O-Potties and leave the student's with yet another 'tempory experience, temporary existence'. Schools should be the one place where basic needs can be met, with basic comforts. Vote Yes For Schools! takes on new meaning when the basic needs of students can't be met in delapidated buildings. Buy books not ball parks! Let's make some changes: hind sight is 20/20, and when your levy misses super majority by a part of a single percentage (>1%) the time for change is now.

Students in Washington are already at a disadvantage internationally. (Look at the Washington Learns Report researched by a group of nearly 100 people from all types of careers.) Students are falling behind especially in Washington. I say let's give education what we can in the fairest way possible. I think 50% is what almost every other vote takes so why should education be different?

As for Feb. or November, leave it in Feb. Due to the funding of schools the number of administrators are limited. We don't need one more thing on their plate that distracts them from the business of educating our kids.

The majority of people in prison do not have a
high school education and they have learning disabilities. It would be so much less expensive for tax payers. By investing $1 in education the payback to tax payers is $8. Let's do what we can to educate, educate, educate.

The super majority Legislature is chomping at the bit to raise our already out-of-control high property taxes as well as any taxes they can raise. Now the super majority want to lower the standard so property taxes can go even higher! Forget about actually expecting school districts to spend our money wisely--nope--they want more money, and more money is what they'll get!

Get ready for your property taxes to soar for the next two years! No complaining allowed when you are taxed out of your house because chances are you voted these idiots into office!

I read earlier in one post that the majority of voters are not homeowners, and do not pay propery taxes. This is a half-truth. While we do not get bills from our landlord called "property tax", we do pay our landlord rent every month, and you can be sure that if the property tax goes up a lot, that future rent will be increased as well. So we are all affected by property tax rates one way or the other.

If other issues are 50% simple majority, so should schools. I could see bonds still being 60% - that's asking for new/different - but for the usual operating budget to educate our kids? 50% is plenty.

I support the 60% margin unless, the law changes to permit only property owners to vote on school levies. It's the only fair way, unless non-property owners who use public schools help pay the bills.

Dale

It is so strange how people react to this issue. On the one hand during the last election for Gov. everyone was up in arms because the Gregorie only one by a few hundred votes over 50%.It was less than one half of one percent. However, when it comes to passing taxes we need 60%. It does not make sense that we elect executive branch leaders at all levels of government and people are fine with it but to pass a tax increase you need 60%. Majority rule with minority rights has seemed to work for a few hundred years in our country so I don't see the big problem with lowering the tax rate to 50%.

Second, those people who say only property owners should vote make an insane argument. If that was the case then only business owners should be allowed to vote to increase the B&0 tax. Only people with children in school should get to vote for school board elections. You see the point. It doesn't make sense to follow this line of reasoning. Property ownership as a requirement for voting went out with the JIm Crow laws following the Civil War.

On another note the idea that lottery money was supposed to, or actually does go to education funding has been been shown not to be true. Lottery money is a drop in the bucket in a 30 billion dollar budget and it all goes into the general fund. True, education takes up about half of the general fund so indirectly lottery money does go to schools but is was never designed to be specifically set aside for education. That myth is still out there today.

If the legislature does not reduce the 60% number to 50% plus one then I think we should require all elected officials to get at least 60% to win any office. We keep having runoffs until someone gets 60% which would take a long time in most races based on last on the last election results. When looked at is this way it is pretty obvious how much sense this makes. None

Simple majority -- align the vote with the other financing measures we're often asked to vote on. As to only allowing "property owners" to vote, screw that. Everyone who rents pays property taxes indirectly, so everyone who lives within a school district should be able to vote. I see no problem with the there being a vote for financing schools on a different cycle than the rest of the elections. Schools operate on a different budgetary cycle than other government funded operations.

Of course it should change BACK to 50%...that's how the state constitution was originally written. We can approve additional taxes for stadiums that many of us can't afford to see a game in with a simple majority, but when it comes to the education of our kids, we require a 60% supermajority. Kind of goofy.

First of all, schools should not have to raise 1/4 of their funds locally. We have a state constitutuion that says that public education is the "paramount duty" of the State, yet by simply redefining basic education, the State pushes more obligation for schools out to local communities. And these levies do not pay for frivolous things or unnecessary things. They pay for books, busses, teachers and support staff, training for teachers and support staff, and unfunded state mandates such as Becca bill requirements, mandatory "trainings" etc.

Yes, the 60% supermajority should be changed, and it should not require that the election be moved to November. With our county voting entirely by mail, the turnout in February is the same as for a November election, and full community attention can be turned to the schools when politicians and ill-conceived initiatives aren't already on the ballot.

As to the EFF woman's suggestion that schools run on two-year budget cycles, that would only work if the State assured funding for those two years. Currently, schools have to apply for funding every month. If enrollment drops, funds drop. But fixed costs such as teacher salaries, heat, lights, and utilities do not drop with enrollment.

I think the supermajority question is in danger of being used as a screen for and a diversion from the real issue: inadequate state funding for basic education.

The super majority is unfair to students in the State of Washington. We elect officials and pass initiatives by a simple majority. We either have faith in our fellow voters or not.

State funding for education in Washington is inadequate. By statute the state is required to fund basic education. If you study your local district's budget, you will likely find that your local levy dollars are making up the shortfall between what the state allocates and what the actual cost of basic education really is. It may also help with some co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

And whether we own our home and pay our property taxes directly or whether we rent, we all pay property taxes. Each of us debating this issue received an education. If we attended public schools that education was paid for by all the members of our community, regardless of whether they too had children in the schools or not.

Perhaps the bigger issue is whether as a society we value education. We know the world is not flat and that the impact of global economics is not necessarily in our favor.

The levy is fine where it is at 60%, it gives the "majority" the vote. As far as the Feb or Nov time for the levy, does it really matter? A solution would be to revamp the school year to start and end in Jan and Dec instead, this way the levy would be based on the complete previous year instead of a partial. By the way, we may do better for our children if we went to 220 days of learning per year than the current 190 days. I suggest that the Christmas/New Year break be the current summer break.

Regarding the 60% rule for school levys and Levy funding:

It was designed to equal the playinbg field for home owners.
The 50% for the monorail and stadium was because the money
came from the State so all the people voted and payed thru
other taxes not just the homeqwner. The state doesnt have
a problem giving themselves a raise so take some of those
funds and send some to the schools. I don't understand why
the burden should be on only those who own homes when it comes
to funding schools. There should be plenty of funds generated
from our lottery proceeds as well as the surplus dollars in State
budget. Another solution would be to tax all individuals like they
did to pay for the monorail and stadium instead instead of one
group or a nominal tuition fee.

Did anybody count how many times for the last decade property taxes we raised?

Did it help schools? No.

If an employee doesn’t perform from year-to-year – company doesn’t resolve it by raising a salary – company just fired this employee.

Government institutions no different – we hired those including schools to do some work.
We are paying money. Better performance – more money.

Bad performance – less money or “You fired”

If putting more money into schools proved to be no affective – why we continue do so.
Maybe we should look for other solutions.

Stay with 60% majority. Our Constitution requires that, right? I don't care if you own a home or rent, if you want your children educated, you will do what you have to do to educate them. Pay higher rent, spend more time reading and talking to them, but please don't expect everyone else to raise your child. It is the parent's duty to educate/raise the child.

What we need is to change the school budget cycle and the levy laws to accomadate a November simple majority. Otherwise, just don't do it - it's a scheme to raise our taxes by a lower threshold.

Should the voters get this? At some point - but November-only first. One-shot-or-not also sounds fair to me and I went to WA public schools. After all we did NOT have a re-vote in Rossi v. Gregoire and most proponents of a simple majority w/ 2 or more tries do not support re-votes.

I may me looking at this a little different than most of the people who have expressed there views to date. My feelings is that I am no better or worst than the next person, hence my vote should carry the same influence as the next person. Our school funding should be a simple majority, and the requirement for voter turn out (40% of the previous election),should be removed as well. It is our right to vote, if you choose not to vote, that should be your loss not mind. The people who make these finacial decesions are elected in a simply majority of the votes cast.