Local Central Kitsap residents received their ballots by mail
this past week for casting their vote in support of Central Kitsap
School District’s Supplemental Levy.
Now I know what you’re thinking, didn’t we just pass a levy last
year? Yes, we did, a Capital Projects levy for badly needed
improvements and repairs to our schools facilities and systems.
Voters turned out in resounding support of that levy.
And now, because our State legislators have chosen to ignore
their statutory mandate/responsibility to fully fund public
education, our local school district is left holding the proverbial
budget short-fall bag to the tune of some $6.3 million dollars.
Adding to their dilemma/misery, Federal heavy impact aid matching
dollars were also recently removed.
Read more: Vote ‘YES!’ on CK’s Supplemental Levy
As a father of four children who have all passed through
the halls of Central Kitsap schools, I have become a huge fan
and supporter of the CK School District, their amazing educators,
administrators, and board.
We are most fortunate to have Mr. Greg Lynch at the helm,
especially during such difficult and economically
turbulent times as these. Both Greg and Director of Finance,
David McVicker, have done an incredible job, just short of
miraculous, by anticipating and planning contingencies for just
such situations. In fact, CK officials have trimmed over $14.6
million dollars from their budget over the past 5 years!
Unfortunately, even with all their hard work and faithful
stewardship, the present short-fall is still very large and
daunting.
As a result, area residents are being asked once again to rise
up to the ocassion, and support our nationally award winning CK
schools!
We are being asked to vote ‘YES!’ in support of a 2-year levy
that will raise $3.8 million in each year. This translates t0 $0.62
per $1000 of property valuation. For a house valued at $250K,
that’s about $155, or approximately $13 per month. So maybe we can
go without our Starbuck’s latte once a week?
Listen, I know times are tough. The last thing we need is yet
one more drain on our already over-taxed wallets. But this levy is
going towards covering basic educational and operational expenses.
We’re not talking about debatable fringe or elective programs. This
is basic stuff, the core of what makes our schools such amazing
places of learning for our kids.
So please, make a very worthwhile sacrifice and investment in
our children, and ultimately in our community as a whole.
Thank you for your support!
Rich Jacobson