By Don Gerend
If you ask a realtor what makes a property valuable, the answer is location, location, location. But what makes a good location?
According to Business week, Americans look at safety, affordability, and most of all – high quality schools. Families with children will pay a premium to live in an area with an excellent, award-winning school system like Lake Washington School District.
Those who do not have children want to know that if they should decide to sell their home, good schools help protect property values and attract quality buyers.
But most of all, great schools produce students who can contribute to our region and our country.
Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish and the adjacent neighborhoods have plenty of reasons for people to want to live here, including proximity to good jobs on the Eastside and in Seattle, parks and recreation, shopping and many more.
One of the most attractive features on that location list, though, is Lake Washington School District. We are writing to ask you to support this outstanding public school system.
The economic crisis has hit our community like everywhere else, and our friends, families, and neighbors are feeling the impact. Cities and other governmental organizations are cutting services to match smaller revenues. The proposed state budget includes more deep cuts, including the second straight year of devastating cuts to K-12 education.
On February 9, voters in Sammamish will have the chance to support our local economy by approving three measures for Lake Washington School District.
Two items replace current levies that will otherwise expire at the end of this year. Those replacement levies are the Educational Programs & Operations Levy and the Capital Projects Levy. Your vote simply continues the funding for the school district that our community has supported for many years. The third measure, a new bond measure, would build two new elementary schools to prevent overcrowding due to increased numbers of students, to move our system to 9-12 high schools, and to modernize Juanita High School.
The two renewal levy measures require a simple majority, 50 percent, to pass. The Educational Programs and Operations levy is critical to the basic operations of our schools. Funding from the state no longer provides for what any of our communities would expect in a basic education. This funding measure makes up almost 20 percent of the district’s general operating budget. A failure of this levy would be catastrophic to our schools and our communities.
The Capital Projects levy provides funds for two important areas: facilities and technology. This helps protect our capital investments through appropriate repairs, life-cycle planning, and putting in place projects to save energy. In the area of technology, we know how important it is for students in our schools now to learn to use current technology before they graduate. Technology can also help teachers reach and engage all students. That is critical to fulfilling the district’s vision: All Students Future Ready; prepared for college; prepared for the global workplace; prepared for personal success.
The third measure, a bond measure, requires a 60 percent yes vote to pass. The district is growing and needs more space for students. To maximize the space it has, relieving elementary space pressure, the district is planning to increase space at the high school level so that it can transition to a four-year high school system. Four year high schools are most advantageous in preparing students for college, and are consistent with most school districts in the state and across the country. Two new elementary schools will still be needed. These plans are prudent and ensure that students do not have to suffer through crowded conditions in the near future.
The district also has planned to move up the modernization of Juanita High School, which would otherwise be part of the third phase of the modernization plan in the future. This accelerated schedule will take advantage of extremely attractive construction costs, and low interest rates, saving the district and community millions in the long run. We know that Juanita needs to be replaced: why not do it now when it will be cheaper and when the jobs are needed so badly?
It has been shown that a solid education helps families improve their standard of living, providing a long-term economic benefit. We also know that good schools draw businesses and economic opportunity to our region. Excellent public schools are an economic benefit to families with children, to property owners who do not have children, and to area businesses.
You can help keep our schools and our communities strong. Please vote yes for all three Lake Washington School District funding measures on the February 9 ballot.
Don Gerend is the Honorary Chair of the Lake Washington Citizens Levy Committee, and the Mayor of Sammamish
