The Times Gets It Right on McCleary
At least via one of their editorial writers, Brier Dudley.
In a nutshell:
- the constitution says "ample" funding for schools. The state supreme court defined "ample:
“The word ‘ample’ in article IX, section 1 provides a broad constitutional guideline meaning fully, sufficient, and considerably more than just adequate,” it said.
“Ample funding for basic education must be accomplished by means of dependable and regular tax sources.
- The Legislature deserves credit for the 2010 reform plan and improvements since then, such as funding full-day kindergarten.
- Schools must also control costs, and the state can’t write blank checks — it must ensure additional funding is spent properly and actually benefits students.
- Negotiations continued this week but Republicans controlling the Senate and Democrats controlling the House can’t agree on which taxpayers should be tapped for the ample funding.
It looks like neither has a plan to provide ample and dependable funding.
Unless large cuts are made in other state programs, school funding will require new taxes.
- Lawmakers should have faith that Washingtonians will support them if they are brave enough to approve the needed taxes. Many constituents, especially the wealthy and businesses advocating for better schools, expect tax increases. They may be offset by President Donald Trump’s tax cuts anyway.
- Schools may be prevented from opening this fall until the unconstitutional situation is fixed.
The Court alone gets to judge if the work done is to the ruling. I would support the Court not allowing schools to open in the fall if this work does not get done properly.
I honestly think the Republicans are more interested in public posturing than getting this work done. The Dems need to stand up to that.
But this intransigence and game of chicken needs to end.
In a nutshell:
- the constitution says "ample" funding for schools. The state supreme court defined "ample:
“The word ‘ample’ in article IX, section 1 provides a broad constitutional guideline meaning fully, sufficient, and considerably more than just adequate,” it said.
“Ample funding for basic education must be accomplished by means of dependable and regular tax sources.
- The Legislature deserves credit for the 2010 reform plan and improvements since then, such as funding full-day kindergarten.
- Schools must also control costs, and the state can’t write blank checks — it must ensure additional funding is spent properly and actually benefits students.
- Negotiations continued this week but Republicans controlling the Senate and Democrats controlling the House can’t agree on which taxpayers should be tapped for the ample funding.
Unless large cuts are made in other state programs, school funding will require new taxes.
- Lawmakers should have faith that Washingtonians will support them if they are brave enough to approve the needed taxes. Many constituents, especially the wealthy and businesses advocating for better schools, expect tax increases. They may be offset by President Donald Trump’s tax cuts anyway.
- Schools may be prevented from opening this fall until the unconstitutional situation is fixed.
The Court alone gets to judge if the work done is to the ruling. I would support the Court not allowing schools to open in the fall if this work does not get done properly.
I honestly think the Republicans are more interested in public posturing than getting this work done. The Dems need to stand up to that.
But this intransigence and game of chicken needs to end.
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Mr. Theo Moriarty