Measure would ease levy rules

Opponents of the simple majority resolution on the ballot this November say it is nothing more than a property tax increase for voters, while those in favor of it say HJR 4204 will help public schools get the money they need to educate students.

One of four proposed constitutional amendments that lawmakers put on the ballot this fall, the resolution is designed to make it easier for school districts to win approval for tax levies by eliminating the super majority rule.

The state Constitution has forced school districts seeking property tax dollars above an existing 1 percent limit to get special approval from voters – a requirement approved by voters in 1932 and reaffirmed in 1944. Schools must get a “yes” from at least 60 percent of voters. Also, total voter turnout must be at least 40 percent of the number casting ballots in the previous general election.

The measure would apply only to short-term maintenance and operations levies, not larger bond issues such as those used to build schools.

The current resolution would do away with the higher bar for levies, requiring only a simple majority – 50 percent of the votes, plus one. It would also do away with the 40 percent turnout requirement.

Teachers and school groups say the higher standard is hard to meet, particularly for rural schools in struggling areas. A group called “People for our Public Schools” has raised more than $1.1 million in favor of the measure, collecting $262,000 from the state teachers union, the Washington Education Association.

“It strikes me as unfair that schools have to reach a super majority to pass an issue, when we can build a new arena, coliseum or sports arena with a simple majority,” said Jim Williams, a West Valley School District school board member. “It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

Proponents also say the voter-turnout requirement – originally intended to prevent “stealth elections” by a small number of advocates who quietly hustled to the polls – is outdated now that ballots are mailed. In 2005, West Valley voters failed to achieve the 60 percent super majority for its maintenance and operations levy. The measure was approved by voters when it was put on the ballot a second time.

Republican lawmakers opposed to the ballot issue say that situations like West Valley’s are proof that the measure is unnecessary – more than 98 percent of school levies eventually pass, said Rep. John Ahern, R-Spokane.

“If they don’t pass the first time, it’s oftentimes because the school district has done a poor selling job to the public,” Ahern said.

Those in favor of the measure say that’s unfair, because often levies will pass with a majority but not a super majority. The Colville School District failed twice to pass a levy in 2006 – the second time by 61 votes – and had to cut about $900,000 from its budget.

This year an operating levy passed narrowly, with 61.4 percent.

“It costs time and money to run a levy campaign, and to rerun it,” said Maureen Ramos, the president of the Spokane Education Association, which represents thousands of Spokane teachers. “It’s a distraction from the job that we are trying to do, which is to educate children.”

Sen. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, who opposes the measure, says the issue is ignoring the real problem: unfunded state and federal mandates taxing the school systems.

“It’s real clear that the government and Legislature have a duty to fund the education of all students,” Holmquist said. “Unfunded mandates are being handed down, and they are using excess school levies for basic education funding.”

Levies are intended to fund extras that communities have come to expect from schools, such as extracurricular opportunities, music and sports. Recently, Spokane Public Schools made $10.8 million in cuts that included sports at all elementary schools, custodians and librarians. The district also closed an elementary school.

Still, Holmquist said she cannot support the simple majority issue, because it will make it easier for property taxes to go up, making housing less affordable for seniors and working families. By eliminating voter-turnout requirements, the measure would also allow a small number of people to increase everybody’s property tax, she said.

“The bottom line is this is a property tax increase,” Holmquist said. “I don’t see any reason why we should be making it easier to raise property taxes when taxes are already rising rapidly.”

Ramos said it is “disingenuous” to call the issue a property tax increase, because the state levy lid caps the amount schools can collect.

“One of the important facts that we always have to remember is that strong schools supported by a strong community bring in industry,” and a stable economy, Ramos said.