The following editorial appeared Monday in the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.

The majority rules, right?

In most things, but not for local levy elections seeking school funding. Washington state’s constitution requires a 60 percent supermajority for approval of school levies. It is arcane and unnecessary.

In 1944, when the constitution was amended for the supermajority, the Great Depression was fresh in folks’ minds. The people wanted to make sure they weren’t surprised by a tax. The state had more than 2,000 school districts and people didn’t always know to which districts they paid taxes.

Today, there are fewer than 300 school districts, and property owners clearly know where their tax dollars go – and how many they are spending. Before each and every school levy vote there is a truckload of information presented to the public….

School levy requests are not a surprise to anyone….

The money generated from local levy elections is critical to operating public school districts today. In Walla Walla, for example, levy money accounts for about 18 percent of the School District budget if federal matching funds are included.

It is unlikely districts would ask for too much. That would have serious consequences. Districts get just two chances per year to pass their levies.

If a candidate for office or an initiative gets 58 percent support, it is considered a landslide. Why should the same support for a levy be considered a failure? It shouldn’t.

It’s time the constitution be changed to allow a simple majority of voters to put a tax on themselves.

Last week the state House, by a 73-25 vote, approved a measure that will allow voters to amend the constitution to allow a simple majority for the approval of levies….

Voters should not be denied the opportunity to amend the constitution and do away with the unreasonable threshold for approval of local school levies. We urge the Senate to approve the plan and send it to the people.