Super majority worries state educators

Many say voters should decide fate on school levy passage

COLUMBIA BASIN — Educators are concerned about the repercussions following a state Senate decision to reject an amendment to the state Constitution earlier this month.

The amendment would allow for a simple majority vote to decide school levies, leaving educators worried about the impact on future levies and bonds.

In 2004, the MLSD had to run a levy twice as it only received 59 percent of the vote in favor of passing the levy the first time it ran, falling just shy of the 60 percent super majority that is required under current law in order to pass levies and bonds, including a 40 percent voter turnout of those who cast ballots in the last general election.

The levy rerun cost the MLSD an additional $10,000; the levy did pass the second time.

"I think it's wrong to hold the schools to a higher standard than anything else in our state election system," said Steve Chestnut, superintendent of the MLSD. "Our last levy, we failed it the first time and if we had been unlucky the second time, we would be in dire financial straights," Chestnut said, adding that the current law was created 60 years ago and that it is time for a change.

Connie Opheikens, president of the Moses Lake School Board, agrees that school districts should not be held to a higher standard when it comes to providing adequate resources for students.

"The thing that really bothers me is that our legislators get voted in with 51 percent (and) if they get 51 percent they win, if we get 51 percent we lose and that just doesn't seem fair," Opheikens said. "I think they should let it go to the voters … it affects their children, they should have the final say."

School districts throughout the Basin agree that change is needed, especially as districts continue to grow.

"As times get tougher and we don't get our revenue, we're going to have a demand to increase those levies and that's going to be a tougher job to do," said David James, superintendent of the Royal School District.

However, local legislative representatives feel differently on the topic.

"I think this requirement to go to the simple majority is an attempt to solve a problem that doesn't exist," said Senator Joyce Mulliken R-Ephrata. "If you get out and explain what that money is for and how your local school district benefits for it, people support our schools."

Mulliken added that the way the proposal for the bill is written now, not all the votes would count. "If 10 people showed up to vote, six people could decide that property taxes could get raised and I don't think that's right to the property owner," Mulliken said.

If the bill goes for a vote on the November ballot, Mulliken is concerned that voters in smaller, rural areas will find their votes dominated by those on the western part of the state.

"Our experience with the last election is that King county tends to drive the issues in our state," Mulliken said, emphasizing the outcome from the last election. "I don't want King county deciding for the people in Grant county how we're going to hold our elections."

Janea Holmquist R-Moses Lake, said for her the issue is a matter of listening to what the majority of citizens want.

"I don't want to do anything to make it easier to raise people's property taxes," Holmquist said, adding that she has heard the most from property owners who don't want to see their taxes raised any more. Levies are funded by property taxes. "Until that changes and I'm hearing more from folks saying (they would be) in support of simple majority, I'm going to have to side with property owners as that's the majority I'm hearing from," she said.