Comments on: 11/6/2007 – General Election – Redmond, King County, Washington http://www.goland.org/20071106KingCountyGeneralElection/ Technology, Politics, Food, Finance, etc. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:37:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Administrator http://www.goland.org/20071106KingCountyGeneralElection/comment-page-1/#comment-180802 Administrator Mon, 05 Nov 2007 04:55:12 +0000 #comment-180802 Teacher, you are pointing out that schools may not be properly funded. Which is certainly a bad thing if true and should be fixed. But that doesn't mean the fix is raising property taxes. As I point out in my comments, property taxes are some of the most damaging taxes around and should only be used carefully. So while I may support a proposal to fund schools via taxes (although I would first have to be convinced that the money we are spending on schools is being spent wisely and there is a true shortage as opposed to a wastage) I don't believe that in anyway negates the damage of property taxes in particular. Therefore I feel that regardless of the merit of the cause proposals to raise property taxes need to pass a higher than 50% bar. Teacher, you are pointing out that schools may not be properly funded. Which is certainly a bad thing if true and should be fixed. But that doesn’t mean the fix is raising property taxes.

As I point out in my comments, property taxes are some of the most damaging taxes around and should only be used carefully. So while I may support a proposal to fund schools via taxes (although I would first have to be convinced that the money we are spending on schools is being spent wisely and there is a true shortage as opposed to a wastage) I don’t believe that in anyway negates the damage of property taxes in particular.

Therefore I feel that regardless of the merit of the cause proposals to raise property taxes need to pass a higher than 50% bar.

]]> By: Teacher http://www.goland.org/20071106KingCountyGeneralElection/comment-page-1/#comment-180719 Teacher Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:03:34 +0000 #comment-180719 Your analysis of 4204 is simplistic. This is not a bill that "limits taxes" specifically. The legislature, in its infinite wisdom (sarcasm intended) has decided that school funding from the state should be limited to 80% of what is needed (by their calculations) to fund a school district. This amount is called the BEA(Basic education allowance) and is then called 100% of "Basic Education". (Cool math, hunh?) They then expect the local citizens to fund the other 20%. The rub comes that the local citizens are required to pass these levies with a 60% vote. Yes, they are property taxes. But they fund schools for all kids. Currently, our state is 47th in the nation on what we are spending on students. And it shows. Our students are not keeping pace with the country. Over 50% of our students can not pass the basic math WASL. Bottom line--4204 should be passed. We currently use a simple majority voting system to pass all of the other public services--fire districts, roads, public stadiums. School children are the only ones being held hostage to a system that will unfairly select for the rich being sent to private schools, and the poor being stuck in underfunded public education. Do what is right on this one. Approve 4204. Marta Branch Your analysis of 4204 is simplistic. This is not a bill that “limits taxes” specifically. The legislature, in its infinite wisdom (sarcasm intended) has decided that school funding from the state should be limited to 80% of what is needed (by their calculations) to fund a school district. This amount is called the BEA(Basic education allowance) and is then called 100% of “Basic Education”. (Cool math, hunh?) They then expect the local citizens to fund the other 20%. The rub comes that the local citizens are required to pass these levies with a 60% vote. Yes, they are property taxes. But they fund schools for all kids. Currently, our state is 47th in the nation on what we are spending on students. And it shows. Our students are not keeping pace with the country. Over 50% of our students can not pass the basic math WASL. Bottom line–4204 should be passed. We currently use a simple majority voting system to pass all of the other public services–fire districts, roads, public stadiums. School children are the only ones being held hostage to a system that will unfairly select for the rich being sent to private schools, and the poor being stuck in underfunded public education. Do what is right on this one. Approve 4204. Marta Branch

]]> By: David Carson http://www.goland.org/20071106KingCountyGeneralElection/comment-page-1/#comment-180105 David Carson Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:22:03 +0000 #comment-180105 I wanted to let you know that I've uploaded the issues page. I hadn't realzed that it was unfinished, so I've put that file up so that it's now up-to-date. David I wanted to let you know that I’ve uploaded the issues page. I hadn’t realzed that it was unfinished, so I’ve put that file up so that it’s now up-to-date.

David

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