BACKGROUND/ WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS AND PROVIDE INPUT:
The state is responsible for public school funding, however the reality is only about 66% of our school district’s funding comes from the state. About 10% comes from the federal government, and most of the remainder, over 22% of KSD’s operating funds come from local levies which are taxes approved by the voters every 4 years. One out of every 5 teachers and other employees in KSD are funded from local levy dollars. The state supreme court has directed the legislature to fix this situation, but progress has been slow, and it’s not clear how the court can “make” the legislature do this or where the additional funds would come from. While that continues to be discussed at the state level, we at the local level remain dependent on local levies to ensure a quality education for our children.
The current KSD levies expire next year, and new levies will be on the ballot in the special election Feb 11th 2014. The KSD School Board of Directors recently decided to ask voters to support the same levy/tax rate on the new levies as we currently pay on the existing levies. By law, the school board could ask for a larger levy (higher tax rate), but chose not to do so in order to avoid a tax increase and to increase the chance that the levies will pass.
Now the board has decided to reconsider the amount of the levies to ask voters to approve based on additional feedback from some parents, teachers, and at least one board member. Their inputs (that I’m aware of) run along these lines: that school budgets have been cut for years, and have been historically underfunded by the state. Many other school districts have successfully asked their voters to support the full amount allowed by law in order to make up for these deficits, and ensure a quality education for their children. Our local voters have a history of supporting our schools with necessary tax dollars, and KSD has earned the trust of our voters through prudent financial management over many years. Some feel it is the duty of the board to ask for the maximum amount, or at least a higher amount, in order to fulfill their duty to provide the best possible education within their authority to our district’s students. .
The board must balance the competing concerns of asking voters for enough funds to ensure educational quality, yet not exceeding the amount voters will approve. Failure of the levies to pass in the February election would be financially crippling for the school district (losing over 20% of the budget!). If you have opinions on this very important issue, you have a limited opportunity to provide that input to the KSD Board of Directors. I encourage you to do so using the contact info provided above. If you have questions, you can contact the school district, or contact me at [email protected]
Janine Weber
Kent Area PTA Council, Legislative Chair
The state is responsible for public school funding, however the reality is only about 66% of our school district’s funding comes from the state. About 10% comes from the federal government, and most of the remainder, over 22% of KSD’s operating funds come from local levies which are taxes approved by the voters every 4 years. One out of every 5 teachers and other employees in KSD are funded from local levy dollars. The state supreme court has directed the legislature to fix this situation, but progress has been slow, and it’s not clear how the court can “make” the legislature do this or where the additional funds would come from. While that continues to be discussed at the state level, we at the local level remain dependent on local levies to ensure a quality education for our children.
The current KSD levies expire next year, and new levies will be on the ballot in the special election Feb 11th 2014. The KSD School Board of Directors recently decided to ask voters to support the same levy/tax rate on the new levies as we currently pay on the existing levies. By law, the school board could ask for a larger levy (higher tax rate), but chose not to do so in order to avoid a tax increase and to increase the chance that the levies will pass.
Now the board has decided to reconsider the amount of the levies to ask voters to approve based on additional feedback from some parents, teachers, and at least one board member. Their inputs (that I’m aware of) run along these lines: that school budgets have been cut for years, and have been historically underfunded by the state. Many other school districts have successfully asked their voters to support the full amount allowed by law in order to make up for these deficits, and ensure a quality education for their children. Our local voters have a history of supporting our schools with necessary tax dollars, and KSD has earned the trust of our voters through prudent financial management over many years. Some feel it is the duty of the board to ask for the maximum amount, or at least a higher amount, in order to fulfill their duty to provide the best possible education within their authority to our district’s students. .
The board must balance the competing concerns of asking voters for enough funds to ensure educational quality, yet not exceeding the amount voters will approve. Failure of the levies to pass in the February election would be financially crippling for the school district (losing over 20% of the budget!). If you have opinions on this very important issue, you have a limited opportunity to provide that input to the KSD Board of Directors. I encourage you to do so using the contact info provided above. If you have questions, you can contact the school district, or contact me at [email protected]
Janine Weber
Kent Area PTA Council, Legislative Chair
