Education levy supporters declare victory

OLYMPIA – More than a week after the election, education forces on Wednesday declared victory for a constitutional amendment to allow simple-majority approval of local school levies, rather than a 60 percent supermajority.

Late tallies, including a surge in “yes” votes from King County, gave HJR4204 an 11,000-vote lead, with an estimated 43,000 ballots left to count, roughly half from King.

“It was a nail-biter, and it feels good to be on the positive side of 50 percent,” said a relieved campaign director Bill Monto.

“It’s a real celebration!” exulted Mary Lindquist, president of the Washington Education Association.

The apparent victory was doubly sweet, given the strong anti-tax mood of the electorate, she said.

“We knew it would be a tough crowd, but when push comes to shove, this sends a clear message that voters in this state believe in their public schools and are willing to support them.”

Anti-tax leader Tim Eyman said the inevitable result of a lower approval threshold will be higher property taxes.

The measure trailed on election night Nov. 6, but on Wednesday led by 11,003 votes out of more than 1.5 million cast. The vote, 50.36 percent in favor and 49.64 percent opposed, was too close for election officials to call.

Sponsors, though, held a news conference to declare victory. The margin should continue to grow as final absentee ballots are counted, particularly in King County, where the measure had a winning margin of over 73,471 votes, or nearly 59 percent, as of Wednesday, Monto said. He said Wednesday’s King County batch was 63 percent in favor.

The constitutional amendment also led in Jefferson, San Juan, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom and Whitman counties.

Monto said it doesn’t seem mathematically possible that the lead will evaporate. The election will be certified on Nov. 27.

Monto credited the come-from-behind surge to get-out-the-vote telephone calls to voters who were identified as traditional supporters of school measures.

“We had more than 6,000 volunteers who worked to contact 350,000 voters,” he said in an interview.

Monto said that since 2000, 37 levies have rolled up 59 percent majorities, only to fail, requiring expensive and time-consuming follow-up campaigns and elections. On the average, districts rely on property tax levies for 16 percent of their budgets, he said.

“Simple majority is not a panacea, but it is one good step to help education,” he said. “This is important to keep funding stable so we can move on to the bigger question of adequate support for education from the state Legislature.

“This (simple majority) will be an important and historic victory.”

Senate Education Chairwoman Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, said the vote shows Washington voters view education as their No. 1 priority.

“It’s obviously a close vote, but I’m happy the voters have spoken,” she said.

Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, a perennial sponsor of the simple-majority legislation, called it “one more tool to help us give our kids the very best education possible.”

“I’m thrilled the voters have spoken and our schools will now be on equal election footing with fire districts, sports arenas and jails.”

Sponsors raised $3 million for the campaign. There was no organized opposition, but legislative critics called the measure an attack on property taxpayers.

“This is going to make it easier to raise your property taxes. It’s not going to improve education,” said Sen. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake.