No hike, only renewal

On Friday Nov 13th a letter was published “Hikes hurt the poor most”, with several misunderstandings about the replacement tax levy for the Spokane Public Schools. In the first place, this is not a new tax, and there is no “Hike”. The amount property owners will pay, does not increase, in fact, it will be less. So, no worries, this is not a new tax or tax increase. Secondly, the letter states that this is a school bond, but this is a levy. Levies are for Educational Programs and Operations, where Bonds are for school buildings and facilities.

The levy provides revenue for essential learning and support programs. Many of the needed school nurses, counselors, and behavior specialists are funded with the levy. Also support for ELL (English Language Learners) and special education services, as well as extra-curricular activities, athletics, and the arts.

During these challenging times, teachers are the essential workers for the youth and families of Spokane. We are all in this together and teachers and staff deserve our support, so they can support our kids. Voting “Yes for Kids” in February is one way to show your support.

Fred Schrumpf

Spokane