BOTH Levies Passing

According to KC Elections, both Props 1 and 2 are passing about 75% to 25%.

Thank you, Seattle voters!

Comments

mirmac1 said…
Woo Hoo! Now I can live with myself. Thanks to all the voters who are more forgiving than I am...
dan dempsey said…
Example of Seattle Times playing both sides of the fence ... those Times folks can believe they strongly influenced the result no matter what the outcome.

Patrick said…
Thank you, Seattle.
mirmac1 said…
On an equally happy note:

State superintendent of schools pushes lawmakers to change initiative

Of course my first thought is it's about TIME!

BTW Dan, yeah, how convenient for Varner to cover her bases. On her point that these mega-elementaries mean more space for special education. If you believe that then I have some swampland in Florida that's a steal. Those 650-kid K-5 will simply lead to more disruptive closures of small, neighborhood schools as long as the uber-micromanager minority coalition on the school board has its way.

I'll say that, although Mr Banda's last school district may have had schools that size, he is in Seattle, a city that is very generous with its support of public education. Don't allow the shuttering of smaller schools to save on a 1.0 FTE admin and 0.5 custodial position. We're not stupid. We know that downtown will drop a few $M at the drop of a hat for the Alliance's latest pipe dream.
dan dempsey said…
On Dorn and the ABOVE:

“I felt that you had to try to force the issue into the legislature,” Dorn explained. “My issue is still, going forward, I’m responsible for overseeing all public schools.

So he is talking about charter schools....

YEAH BUT ....

Let's take that statement and consider Common Core State Standards... looks like Randy is abdicating his responsibility to Arne D and friends when it comes to assessments which will likely drive instruction.... Randy is the water boy passing out the drinks but who controls the pipeline? Not us. ... Talk about an abdication of responsibility.
NE dad said…
Aw, guys, let's enjoy the moment.

The Seattle voters are a lot smarter than some people give them credit for. Cheers!
NicK Esparza said…
Awesome Waste of Money so when will the next The financial scandal Happen? oh yes Just remember...it's for the kids
mirmac1 said…
You're right NE Dad.
Anonymous said…
Well, good, though this is the least positive yes-vote I've ever cast for a school levy. Maybe we should have organized a mass protest in the form of putting sticky-notes on our ballots: "I voted yes, but that doesn't mean I'm happy with the district!"
Nick Esparza said…
Lisa a yes Vote is a open invitation for the next he next The financial scandal
Nick Esparza said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
We have passed three previous capital levies going back to 1995. You would think there wouldn’t be a need for portables, or that we would not have schools with asbestos, water damage and other problems. Fifty years is not that old for buildings that have been properly maintained, but some have seen little or no maintenance for years.
kgroth said…
Excellent news! This is the first school levy election I felt invested in since my oldest is in kindergarten. I'm glad I won't have to face the fallout if the levies didn't pass such as overcrowded, rundown schools. There will always be people who vote against all levies because it's a tax including my conservative mom, a Seattle Schools teacher. Then there are those who vote no to "send District a message" or the BEX list wasn't favorable to their kid's school. That's the case for a few people at my daughter's school, Pinehurst, since due to BEX we're losing our building and it's unknown where we're going. Though I voted yes on both levies for the common good of all Seattle public school kids. Thanks Melissa for keeping us informed.
Voted YES said…
I realize this is a difficult expenditure for many. Thank you, Seattle.

SO glad 37 schools will be retrofitted.

An educated society is a better society. So proud our city values education. Now it is time for the state to do the same.
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Maureen said…
Thank you Seattle!

My kids' schools have benefited in the past and I'm happy to pay it forward!
Obi-Wan Kenob said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
Amen Maureen! Returning the favor is a classy move! We need more of that! WSDWG
Happy and Frustrated said…
Bittersweet--the fact that our underfunded schools do not automatically get the financial support they should from the state is just sad for me. I am glad these are passing. Glad to see that people are not taking out their deep frustration with SPS on this issue. Now, how to hold SPS accountable...
Mike said…
Of course, with the wide margin of passage, why didn't SPS ask for more?
Jan said…
Mike -- that has the feel of that fairy tale about the old woman and the fish in the sea -- she keeps asking for more, more, more -- until her luck runs out and she ends up back in her hovel.

I have to say -- I am so relieved, as now we can return to our usual crowded basket of district problems -- without adding huge additional ones. Here is what I hope for (my wish list):

1. That Banda and others speaking for the schools start NOW to educate the general public about what Kellie has been saying so elequantly
-- that we have applied a $700MM bandaid to a $2 billion dollar capital problem;
--that we structured it this way to accommodate the realities of tight financial times for taxpayers and a sense that many voters justifiably might not have wanted to give the District a HUGE blank check, given recent financial "issues."
--that while the District cannot solve a 2 billion dollar problem with 700 million -- it is committed to good stewardship of these funds going forward (starting with its recent decision to delay JAMS for a year, rather than create massive turmoil in the north end to LOOK like they were doing something immediately, while actually accomplishing very little for a few kids, at huge cost to another group.

I would like to see a huge recommitment to the Pinehurst community (in terms of finding them another school -- right now, I am wishing we had the old MLK building back -- it was not a huge school, but they are not a huge community, and perhaps they could have gone there, rather than see the District give it away for a fraction of its value, to a group that (last I heard) has done very little with it.

And I hope that, after the punches and jabs that have been thrown over NE middle schools, the north end can come together to work for solutions that enhance the futures of Eckstein, Hamilton, the new WP school(s), JAMS, Pinehurst, and ultimately, the new school at Lincoln. North and Northeast families have a long history of being involved passionate advocates for Seattle schools. When the dust settles in 5 years or so, I hope that relationship will be stronger than ever. Our kids need ALL our city neighborhoods to work together on their behalf.
suep. said…
Hi everyone,

I'm on the Strategic Plan Stakeholder's Taskforce which met for the first time last week.

Melissa and Charlie -- would you be willing to start a new thread to discuss the SPS community's 'wish list' for the next strategic plan?

I'd love to hear everyone's ideas, thoughts and concerns and bring them into the task force discussions.

Thanks.

Sue
Nick Esparza said…
so will Seattle Public Schools Do the Right Thing with the Levy money?
Patrick said…
so will Seattle Public Schools Do the Right Thing with the Levy money?

Most of it, sure. Every last dollar, probably not, and I'd be interested in any human activity involving hundreds of millions of dollars in which it could be proved that every dollar was spent on absolutely the right thing.
Unknown said…
thanks for sharing your this post and keep posting such post here in future too.

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