Peninsula: Upcoming levy needs voter support

Our state’s constitution declares that it is the “paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.” In January 2012, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the state was failing in this duty.

We do not yet know if and when the state will fully fund education, so until that time, we are forced to entrust our local communities for their continued support of education through levies.

I urge voters to support the upcoming Peninsula School District’s Proposition 1. Ballots are due by Feb. 9.

This is not a new tax. This is a continuation levy that replaces the expiring four-year levy approved by voters in 2012 and offers a lower estimated tax rate.

The levy will provide critical funding for class-size reduction and additional teaching staff, and it will allot for the paramount safety and security of all students and staff, just to name a few issues.

It is my sincere hope that our local community will prioritize education and bridge the gap where the state continues to fail us. It is our civic responsibility and our honorable right, to do so.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 2:07 PM with the headline "Peninsula: Upcoming levy needs voter support."