The state of Washington has changed how school districts are funded, placing greater responsibility on local levies to help the district sustain extracurricular activities, adequate staffing, and improved facilities for our children. A typical voice in support of levies tends to focus on issues such as our aging district infrastructure and non-taxed government lands. Voices against the levies tend to focus on mismanagement, lack of representation, and the perception that property taxes will increase. What none of these issues address is the fact that OUR KIDS are the ones at stake here.

If you are considering voting no on the levy due to the way school districts are funded, that needs to be addressed with our state representatives who fundamentally changed the funding structure. If it’s staffing levels, salaries, and “mismanagement” that is of concern, take that up with the elected school board. As it stands, we told the board with our election vote that we believe they are capable of understanding the district’s needs, and they are ultimately the body which determined that this levy is necessary.

Voting against levies (by the way, this is a REPLACEMENT levy expected to maintain and not increase your taxes significantly) is a vote against our children. Risking the levy is a sure bet to further hinder and hurt the population who has arguably been the most impacted from COVID constraints the past two years. The only change that can be invoked by voting no on the levy is to further create havoc on their already tumultuous experience. Be a voice for our kids and show that you believe they matter by voting yes on the levy.

Ian & Cara Turner