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The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce
RESOLUTION NO. 2007-08 #8
SUPPORTING A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, EHJR 4204, allowing for a Simple Majority Vote for School Levies
WHEREAS, EHJR 4204, a Constitutional Amendment requiring a simple majority vote (50% + 1) for school levies, will be on the ballot this November;
WHEREAS, Article IX of the Washington State Constitution says “It is the paramount duty of the State to make ample provision for the education for all children residing within its borders without distinction or preference on account of race, color, creed, or sex.”; and
WHEREAS, the EHJR 4204 will allow for a simple majority approval of school levies and will further eliminate the 40% validation (1) requirement for such elections; and
WHEREAS, in 2006 there were 225 school levies on the ballot statewide in which all but one received a majority vote, but one in seven levies failed because they did not receive a supermajority; and
WHEREAS, one significant revenue source available to our local public schools is the local school levy, which contributes to the district’s operating budget and not capital improvements such as the construction of new schools; and
WHEREAS, levies are used by local public schools to fund ongoing operations expenses such as smaller class sizes, transportation (busing), building maintenance, staffing, after school programs, special education and textbooks; and
WHEREAS, throughout the state school districts, on average, depend on levies for approximately 16% of their operating budgets; and
WHEREAS, the Marysville School District has experienced difficulty in recent years in gaining approval of both levies and bonds; and
WHEREAS, a school district levy in the Marysville School District costs the District between $51,739.50 and $172,465 per election(2) ; and
WHEREAS, having to hold multiple elections to get voter approval to renew levies requires the School District to expend dollars that can otherwise be used for educational purposes; and
WHEREAS, this ballot measure does not authorize any taxes, but does amend the State constitution to allow a simple majority vote to approve such taxes in the future; and
WHEREAS, certain low income, senior and disabled persons are able to qualify for exemptions and will not be negatively impacted by a simple majority election; and
WHEREAS, K through 12 education plays a critical role in the development of our children, including preparing them for college and business opportunities; and
WHEREAS, a school district’s ability to fund both levies and bonds is often considered a measure of a district’s educational quality when evaluated by new residents and businesses locating to an area; and
WHEREAS, The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce has long supported our local school levies and bonds and included the simple majority for school levies as a key piece of our legislative agenda;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Greater Marysville Tulalip Board of Directors is in full support of EHJR 4204, allowing school levies to pass with a simple majority (50% + 1) instead of a super majority (60%) and urges the voters of the State of Washington to support this Constitutional Amendment.
1) The 40% validation requirement means that turnout for a levy election must be at least 40% of the voter turnout of the last general election.
2) This information was obtained from the Snohomish County Auditor’s office and assumes 34,493 registered voters (2006 actual) and a $1.50 to $5.00 per registered voter cost depending on the number of other ballot measures on the ballot. The cost of a ballot measure is based on total registered voters, not on actual voter turnout. Voter turnout for both Marysville’s School District measures in 2006 was around 38% of the total registered voters.
2006 -2007 Index to Chamber Resolutions
