Journal Editorial

Vote yes on M&O levy

The Journal urges voters to continue the Maintenance and Operations levy, a local property tax assessment that provides 20 percent of funding for San Juan Island’s public schools. The measure is on the March 12 ballot and requires 60 percent voter approval to pass.

You can tell the strength of a community by its commitment to education. Across the Western United States, many communities have learned to rely less on statewide funding measures, which send the bulk of funding to urban school districts, and rely more on local funding, of which the community has control.

Through local fund-raising and bond measures, communities have built schools, paid for student travel, kept good programs going and created new learning opportunities. Private schools know this too well. So do public schools.

In Washington, the state provides to school districts a Basic Education Allotment — a mix of federal and state funds. The state allows districts to raise additional revenue — as much as 20 percent of their total revenue — from the Maintenance and Operation levy.

The M&O levy has provided improvements to the middle school, development of the shop/tech vocational center, facilities and grounds maintenance, comprehensive reading adoption and comprehensive social science adoption, post-season playoff support, studies in up to 20 foreign languages, transportation fleet update, expanded band program, continuation of PE, music and art specialists, and counselors for all grade levels.

This levy continuation is particularly important because the district is developing a three-year plan to improve student success in learning, improve the learning climate, improve technology, improve teacher support and training, improve parental and community involvement, and improve the district’s finances and accountability. If the levy doesn’t pass, kiss the plan goodbye.

This year’s levy vote is unique. Because of property value adjustments, the levy rate is expected to be 79 cents to 87 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation — down from 89 to 93 cents in the current levy. The proposed levy will generate as much as $1.5 million.

So, you can vote for a tax cut and still support our schools. Now, that’s what we call local control of school funding.

By the way, if you have any suggestions or ideas for school administrators, contact them:

Superintendent Steve Enoch at 378-4133 or school board directors Boyd Pratt; Sally Bryan; John MacDougall; Bob Mancuso; or Emily Orr.

— The Journal of the San Juan Islands welcomes public comment on issues of local interest. email. Or write Editor, The Journal, P.O. Box 519, Friday Harbor, WA. 98250.

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