tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post1671347022347299507..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: McCleary - Why is this So Hard to Get Done?Melissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25015120459846485312016-05-04T14:40:27.480-07:002016-05-04T14:40:27.480-07:00It is a big and complicated problem, but that'...It is a big and complicated problem, but that's the job the legislature was elected to do. If they didn't want to take on big, complicated problems, they shouldn't have run for office.<br /><br />A state income tax has gone down in flames every time it has been proposed. We'd have to sweeten it to get it passed. My favorite would be a progressive income tax including a state tax on capital gains, and eliminating the sales tax. The way that Washington's wealthy escape state level taxation on their capital gains and inheritance, while instead taxing the working poor for their necessities, makes me outraged.<br />Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16260807460417787614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38690443963807461112016-05-03T11:36:05.222-07:002016-05-03T11:36:05.222-07:00Let me put it this way and then I'll stop. You...Let me put it this way and then I'll stop. You could impose an income tax tomorrow and send all that new money to schools and that would still leave unaddressed the 99 other issues that make this so hard to get done. And it's how those 99 other issues get addressed that will determine the future of public education in Washington. So we should hope they get it right, or at least not terribly wrong.<br /><br />-SDD<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-31753295709080580222016-05-03T08:51:36.982-07:002016-05-03T08:51:36.982-07:00The rest is going out to the red parts of the stat...The rest is going out to the red parts of the state that are already so disdained,..."<br /><br />What? I personally don't like the politics in Eastern Washington but those are also Washingtonians. While the Puget Sound region may drive the state's economy, the farming in Eastern Washington is vital to the state. <br /><br />Do we sometimes hear what Eric says "not getting their fair share," yes we do. Of course, that can be easily disproved.<br /><br />It would really help if legislators would think about the entire state and not just their region and pass that onto their constituents.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76410542614053979432016-05-03T08:36:59.449-07:002016-05-03T08:36:59.449-07:00SDD, I have absolutely no problem sending money ea...SDD, I have absolutely no problem sending money east of the mountains. I absolutely have a problem with people east of the mountains claiming they don't get their fair share and that they are subsidizing Seattle. Or that we Seattleites have a boot on their neck. Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53430543804725724162016-05-03T08:22:18.014-07:002016-05-03T08:22:18.014-07:00Charlie, I don't think your argument, that the...Charlie, I don't think your argument, that the people who disagree with you should just do what you want and then lose their elections, is likely to convince many :)<br /><br />But again, the answer isn't just "raise taxes." On whom? How much? By what method? <br /><br />And keep in mind that any statewide funding that flows to local districts is going to involve a large transfer of money over the mountains. That's something that many folks in the Seattle area aren't really grappling with yet (but their legislators are). Let's say that side picks up another $2B in taxes -- well only X% of that is actually going to flow into the schools in that area. The rest is going out to the red parts of the state that are already so disdained, because those places don't have high personal incomes, property values or Fortune 500 companies.<br /><br />Then once you've figured out the money, who gets to decide how it's spent? Is there now a statewide teacher salary scale? If so, how do you resolve the huge imbalances between, say, Everett and ... everyone else? Do you just grandfather in -- and therefore carve into stone -- those historical differences? How is that fair?<br /><br />I can't speak for others, but I can tell you in my experience, when you talk to legislators about the McCleary issues, they are very up to speed on what the challenges are and are actually trying to find solutions. They are not the cartoonish villains that posts like this make them out to be.<br /><br />-SDDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40636574804456371062016-05-03T07:11:44.280-07:002016-05-03T07:11:44.280-07:00The one and only solution is staring them right in...The one and only solution is staring them right in the face: raise taxes. But that solution will cause legislators from conservative districts to lose their bids for re-election as they are successfully challenged from the right. It might even cause some legislators from mixed districts or liberal districts to lose their bids for re-election. So it is not in the legislators' self-interest to solve this problem the one and only way it can be solved.<br /><br />So it's not hard or complicated, it just requires a personal sacrifice by the legislators.<br /><br />As for a simple way to determine the income tax, they can just go with a flat rate based on a number on taxpayers' federal returns - AGI or taxable income. The whole return can be on a post card.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8207262844387046572016-05-02T20:20:15.581-07:002016-05-02T20:20:15.581-07:00Notice how many of the legislators are "retir...Notice how many of the legislators are "retiring" now that they've "kicked the can" of education funding down the line. They don't want to deal with it. Plus it's an inconvenient truth to the GOP & DINOs that money DOES make a difference in public education. They'd prefer to say it doesn't so they can privatize away and claim charters do more with less - also conveniently ignoring the fact that charters spend more on administration than students, have fewer services to pay for (like transportation, SPED, ELL, FRL), and don't have a population representative of their neighboring public schools. <br />The hard truth is, either they need to close the tax break loopholes or institute some form of an income tax, but most of them don't want to go there. It's not a popular choice, but it's the right choice if there is to be any chance of proper & equitable funding of public schools. <br />This is the only state I've lived in that DIDN'T have an income tax. While I love not having that extra form (some of the state forms were pretty onerous), I also want to make sure schools are funded properly, so I will gladly complete an extra form & pay a state income tax if it will help public schools. Granted, my income is not much compared to the bulk of the population in Seattle, but I am perfectly willing to pay what I would owe. I am a product of public schools, I want today's students to have the same opportunities that I did in public school. <br /><br />CT<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62250876088728084992016-05-02T17:59:20.499-07:002016-05-02T17:59:20.499-07:00If you fund it, things will potentially be too fun...If you fund it, things will potentially be too functional to claim it's broken and drum up support for privatization. <br /><br />On top of that, republicans and the anti public school crowd usually argue "throwing money at the problem isn't the answer", except of course when it comes to their own kids. <br /><br />Additionally asking the wealthiest (who already have good schools) to help pay for comparable services (or god forbid more services to address the higher level of need) in poor areas is politically unpopular... They now call that "wanting free stuff". Teacher Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16846356906946665000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7831256907764100032016-05-02T17:52:38.968-07:002016-05-02T17:52:38.968-07:00There are a lot of astro-turf groups and it is dif...There are a lot of astro-turf groups and it is difficult to keep-up.<br /><br />I listened to the panel discussion regarding funding. Baumgartner was asked the question: "What do you expect to happen next year?" Baumgartner: "Nothing'Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-16949862207593855472016-05-02T12:45:24.332-07:002016-05-02T12:45:24.332-07:00SDD, no one is denying that but it does feel like ...SDD, no one is denying that but it does feel like they are leaving much of the hard work to the end. That serves no one in public education.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79130390342569032232016-05-02T12:30:26.015-07:002016-05-02T12:30:26.015-07:00SDD, that is why they have conducted no less than ...SDD, that is why they have conducted no less than 5 studies in the past 10 years. The answers are already there, for the most part. They just don't like them. How do you stall? Call for more studies (more taxpayer money not being spent on students).<br /><br />http://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/2016/02/charters-and-mccleary-round-up.html<br />Scroll down to the list from the Tri-City Herald.Only Stallingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52422787814353148042016-05-02T11:51:17.538-07:002016-05-02T11:51:17.538-07:00It's hard to get done, because 'they' ...It's hard to get done, because 'they' like it the way it is, and the way it is going.<br /><br />-McClureWatcherAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50160555142399191612016-05-02T11:22:58.064-07:002016-05-02T11:22:58.064-07:00It's hard to get done because it's incredi...It's hard to get done because it's incredibly complicated. There are really tough issues here, like state/local funding, state/local control, unequal salary schedules, tax system structures, etc. It's not remotely easy or simple.<br /><br />-SDDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com