Central Kitsap School Support Levy
January 8th, 2010 by Rich JacobsonI have to confess that I’m slightly biased.
Okay, I’m more than slightly biased. I’m very biased.
My wife is an elementary teacher in the Central Kitsap School District. All 4 of our kids have attended CK schools and 3 have already graduated from Central Kitsap High School (named 7 times as one of the top high schools in the nation). As a local real estate professional, one of the bigger selling points that attracts new residents to our area is the reputation our district has earned for providing students with a quality education.
On February 9, 2010, Central Kitsap residents will have the opportunity of voting to replace the School Support Levy. The current levy, approved by voters in 2006, is at a rate of $2.16 per thousand of assessed value. For the first year of the new proposed School Replacement Levy, the rate would increase from $2.16 to approximately $2.49 per thousand of assess value.
With all the recent decisions being made
for us in our nation’s capitol, directing our hard-earned
tax-paying dollars towards bailing out Wall Street and underwriting
nationalized health-care, it’s nice to know that each of us can
have a direct, positive impact by deciding to invest in our
community, and the continued level of educational excellence being
offered to our children.
I would encourage you to take just a moment and access the Central Kitsap School District website, and view the “Did You Know” page which lists many of the recent accomplishments by CK students and staff.
And please Vote ‘YES’ to replace the Central Kitsap School Support Levy!
For more detailed information, go to Central Kitsap School Support Levy.
Tags: central kitsap school district, central kitsap school support levy, education, kitsap county wa, levy replacement, school funding
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January 8th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Thanks for that Rich.
Bremerton is also running a replacement levy this year. You can go here….
http://www.bremertonschools.org/departments/finance/Levy%202010%20Flyer.pdf
For the hard numbers.
Please vote YES in Bremerton. As a member of the Citizen Finance Committee for the district I can assure you that I along with my fellow committee members will be working very hard over the next several months on a series of proposed recommendations we will make to the school board later in the spring. As a Citizen Committee we have the most influence over levy dollars. Over 80% of the average school district budget is out of our control and the districts control. The State mandates how, when and where we spend that 80%.
I know that CK is in the same boat we are when it comes to certain cuts from the State during this soon to be started short legislative session. Bremerton is looking at an additional $2.3 million in cuts on top of the $3.8 million we had to cut this past summer. Failure of the Levy would mean an additional $10 million dollar loss for us over the next 4 years.
Sitting on the Citizen Committee for the past year has proven to me that the education funding system operated by the State is very broken. Especially the funds that our elected leadership has removed from our control and added hoops, string and legal mandates to.
Passage of the Levy will help bridge the gap so that the rest of us can continue to work towards true education reform in this state.
January 8th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Colleen: Thanks for adding the information on the Bremerton levy, and for your dedicated involvement on the Citizen Finance Committee. I totally empathize with the frustrations our districts face in making ends meet, especially with all the hoops and strings attached by our beloved ‘representatives.’
January 9th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
If I could vote for kids without voting for the WTA I would do it. I will vote for any levy in November and against levies presented in any other month
January 10th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Cynic: Care to expand on your comment? Why does voting to replace the current levy necessarily constitute a vote for WTA? Why penalize the kids because you have an issue with WTA?