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Feb. 8, 2010 at 12:01am

Show You Give a #&%! about Tacoma and Vote Yes for Public Schools REPLACEMENT Levy

Support Tacoma! Support Tacoma's Schools!

Educational Programs & Operations Replacement Levy

This Replacement Levy (replacing the expiring 2006 levy) accounts for 22.4 percent of the district’s budget for educational programs and day-to-day operations including teachers, librarians, nurses, instructional aides, arts, music, athletics and classroom basics like textbooks and classroom materials.

Not a new tax – replaces expiring levy

Nearly a quarter of funding (22.4 percent) for educational programs and day-to-day operations in the district, including every neighborhood school.
The 2006 Operations Replacement Levy expires in 2010—major cuts without a replacement.
The 2010 Operations Replacement Levy will continue for four years, 2011–2014.

Supports teachers, staff and small classes

Teachers, librarians, counselors, nurses, instructional support staff and para-educators in every neighborhood school are funded through this levy. Funds the equivalent of 600 teachers in our schools.
The Operations Replacement Levy funds small classes.

Provides for classroom and school basics

Academic programs, athletics, arts, music, safety and security programs.
Textbooks and classroom materials, maintaining technology, playgrounds and playfields.

School Facility Improvements & Technology Upgrades Levy
The School Facility Improvements Levy will be used to renovate or replace three schools and make district-wide school facility improvements and technology upgrades through a six-year levy, continuing a long-range plan to address the district’s aging schools.

Aged and deteriorating schools & facilities in serious need

Over the last 30 years, the district has replaced or updated 65 percent of old and deteriorating schools.
The School Improvements Levy will renovate or replace three of the district’s oldest and neediest schools, Washington Elementary School and Baker and Hunt middle schools.
The School Improvements Levy also funds district-wide school and facility improvements on roofs, energy-efficient heating/lighting, electrical, plumbing, playgrounds and playfields.

Health, safety and security upgrades

The School Improvements Levy provides funds for health, safety and security system improvements including roofs, seismic upgrades, sprinkler, alarm, security and ventilation systems.

Technology improvements—tools and schools for learning

The measure will support technology and instruction in all schools, creating the best places for teachers and students to teach and learn.

For information, please go to www.tacomaschools.org or call the Public Information Office at 253.571.1015.

For more information, watch this informational video.

comments [59] | posted under Tacoma

Comments

by Erik on 2/7/2010 @ 6:55pm
by NineInchNachos on 2/7/2010 @ 8:07pm	done!
by jenyum on 2/7/2010 @ 8:19pm	FYI: images aren't working for me. Voting yes this Tuesday! Remember, if you vote in person polling places WILL be open.
by david on 2/7/2010 @ 9:01pm	Tuesday is Yes Day!
by fredo on 2/7/2010 @ 9:22pm	Nice old postcards, Erik.The pictures were probably taken the last time the Tacoma Public Schools were operated in an efficient manner. No unions, no COLAS, no prevailing wages, no whiteboards, no waiver days, no excuses. People can show they care about Tacoma by voting no on the levies.
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 2/7/2010 @ 9:49pm	Why does fredo hate the children?
by fredo on 2/7/2010 @ 10:00pm	Why does the school district hate the property owners?
by panachronic on 2/7/2010 @ 10:43pm	A better question: Why does the Legislature hate the children?
by tacoma1 on 2/8/2010 @ 7:42am	Why do some people on this blog hate Tacoma so much that they are unwilling to invest in it's future and it's infrastructure?
by dolly varden on 2/8/2010 @ 7:46am	Fredo, let's bring back child labor and repeal safety and anti-pollution laws while we're at it. Ah, the 19th century. As an aside panachronic, do you really want to "change it back" to W? Cheney? Good times!
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 7:52am	tacoma1@ Why do some people on this blog hate low income Tacomans so much that they are unwilling to recognize that affordable housing is actually "a good thing?"
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 8:16am	"ah, the 19th century." Dolly Varden Dolly, The postcards and ideals I admired were from the 20th century, not the 19th.
by Jesse on 2/8/2010 @ 8:17am	"Why do some people on this blog hate low income Tacomans so much that they are unwilling to recognize that affordable housing is actually a good thing?" -- Fredo The only way out of a generational cycle of poverty is through education. Besides, teacher turnover is so high, just imagine what it'd look like if they were paid 60% of what they get now. Think about who would be a teacher then.
by tacoma1 on 2/8/2010 @ 8:18am	@fredo 1) low income people have the most to gain from a good education. 2) low income people will pay the least, as they are unlikely to own expensive homes. 3) if you actually do care about low income Tacoman's, why don't you offer to pay their share? It's more blessed to give than receive.
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 2/8/2010 @ 8:39am	And perhaps special exemptions to the property tax can be made for those of extremely low income, not unlike the exemptions that are given to the seniors and disabled. I think that would help the low income homeowners a great deal. Depriving the children of the poor a proper education by voting no would not be a good thing. I think we can all get behind special exemptions for the low income home owners so they can stay in their homes during these difficult times.
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 8:45am	Tacoma's poor....the school district's levy collateral damage. I hope the people who will have to move out of the district because they can no longer afford the housing costs will remember that we passed the levies for their benefit.
by Jesse on 2/8/2010 @ 8:51am	The lowest cost housing in all of the Puget Sound region is in Tacoma already.
by Jesse on 2/8/2010 @ 8:53am	www.windermere.com Look for housing, single family residence, under $100,000 in Tacoma. Look at the map and then drag the map around the sound.
by panachronic on 2/8/2010 @ 8:59am	@ tacoma1: This entire thread is based on a specious argument, and I think your post wraps it up both the argument and its speciousness in a nutshell. These ballot issues only exist because our state's Legislature chronically fails to fulfill its constitutional responsibility. If the Legislature did its job, we would be talking about new coffee shops and next season's chalk art battles, instead of debating who cares more about Tacoma (which is absurd all by itself, but that's a matter for another post). I think we can all agree that lower income families stand to gain the most from quality public education. Trouble is, neither Prop 1 nor Prop 2 address that problem. No amount of money will fix the top-down mismanagement endemic to our public schools, and no amount of money will cause the schools to refocus on those areas where they fail most badly - teaching basic literacy. Indeed, an argument could be made that throwing more money at them will only make the problem worse.
by Jesse on 2/8/2010 @ 9:30am	To Panachronic and Fredo: Where, specifically, would you guys cut money out of the budget besides teacher salaries/benefits?
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 10:00am	Jesse, I can't speak for Panachronic. However I... 1. would cut salaries and benefits across the board for all public employees including teachers and administrators. 2. would insist that all new school designs be simple and affordable. No soaring glass walls, no plasma TVs in the lunchroom. 3. would lobby the legislature to overturn prevailing wage requirements so that new school construction would be as affordable for the public as possible. 4. would require that money set aside for building maintenance be spent in this manner. Have a great day Jesse, I enjoy your comments. Fredo
by NSHDscott on 2/8/2010 @ 10:06am	Setting aside the snark for a minute, can anyone answer factually whether the Prop 1 replacement levy is the exact same dollar amount per assessed value as the levy it would be replacing/extending, or has it gone up? Just curious. I already voted for it, painful though it may be.
by dolly varden on 2/8/2010 @ 10:13am	Scott - My understanding is that it's a replacement/extension. My property taxes will actually be reduced either way, as my house (and lots of others) keeps dropping in value.
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 10:14am	"the only way out of poverty is education" Jesse But that doesn't mean that the only way to achieve education is pass union-backed property tax increasing levies. Here are some simple exercises for education lovers to follow which will increase education, lower poverty, and do so without increasing taxes. Read to children, work with your children on their homework, make sure your kids don't watch too much TV and go to bed at the proper time. Use flashcards extensively and encourage children to engage in debate. Sign your children up for girl scouts or boy scouts. Talk about achievement, ethics, morality, and encourage children to be thrifty. Do the best job you can role modeling for children. Be honest and don't promote the idea of entitlement. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 10:19am	The replacement levy (prop. 1) is set to raise $80,000,000 per year. It doesn't matter if property values go up or down. This obligation is spread among all the taxpayers who don't have exemptions. Even if your property value plummets to zero you will still be on the hook for your share of the levy. Hope this clears things up for you.
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 2/8/2010 @ 10:24am	To paraphrase Sarah Palin, Pay, Baby, Pay. The children will thank you.
by panachronic on 2/8/2010 @ 10:24am	I've never said that teacher salaries should be cut. But I will say that their salary increases should be performance-based. And we need to take a hard look at the cost of providing defined-benefit pension plans, which are no longer the norm in the private sector. Administrative overhead is a huge problem. Administrators make far too much money for the value they deliver, management headcount is too high, and there is too little accountability. Today's new school buildings are loaded with extras that have little or nothing to do with promoting basic education. There is a phenomenal amount of fluff that can be cut here. Take a look at the new Mt. Tahoma, for instance. We don't need stadiums and redundant athletic fields. We don't need weight rooms. If it doesn't have to do with teaching the 3 Rs and basic science, it's optional. Furthermore, we build these palatial school buildings at a cost of tens of millions, and then we let them sit idle for 25% of the year. That's insane.
by jenyum on 2/8/2010 @ 11:06am	The TPS facilities director once told me Mt. Tahoma is one of the most used buildings in Tacoma. I can believe it, my daughter's ballet school holds their Nutcracker performances there, as do others. The weekend we spent there the rest of the building was constantly in use by one organization or another. The auditorium is in use just about every weekend. In the Summer, the campus is used for community programs like this youth fitness camp: www.tacomaweekly.com/article/3298/ Mt. Tahoma cost considerably less to build, per square foot, than comparable schools in Seattle. In the Summer, Stadium High School hosts the district's tuition based summer school program, and at Lincoln, Lincoln Center kids attend also attend summer programs. I'm sure there are other things going on at the other high schools during the summer that I don't know about.
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 11:30am	Mt. Tahoma cost considerably less to build, per sq. foot, than comparable schools in Seattle. Jen In other words, since the Seattle taxpayers don't object to getting poor value for their money Tacoma levy opponents shouldn't complain.
by Altered Chords on 2/8/2010 @ 11:33am	I agree w/ Fredo re: education. It must be culturally appealing to the child in order for the child to embrace the education. We seem to be stuck in a culture where we worship the hypnotic TV set. The minds of our children fill with cotton cotton candy, empty sexual experiences and violence and while under the hypnotic spell are induced to eat more fat, sugar and salt. We then wonder why teen violence, pregnancy and obesity increase while academic acheivement decreases. It does not "take a village" (government) it takes a family headed by responsible caring parents. I do not agree w/ Fredo that funding should be cut. Funding should increase. Especially in the areas of math, scienc and MUSIC,
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 12:06pm	Jen, it was good to finally hear a levy proponent (you) mention construction costs. So now that election day is only a few hours away, what are the proforma construction costs for the Hunt and Baker replacement schools? How much building are the taxpayers going to get for their money? Or is this information only provided on a "need to know" basis?
by jenyum on 2/8/2010 @ 12:10pm	Since I know Fredo is a big fan of the recent Superior Court school funding decision, I thought I'd use the judge's words to respond to the argument that cultural predictive factors are to blame in low achievement, therefor additional funding is not necessary: this court heard significant anecdotal evidence from superintendents, who were themselves former teachers and principals, of individual success stories resulting from resources that would require additional funding: smaller class sizes for struggling students, availability of co-curricular activities (such as sports, theatre, art) and vocational training, and individualized attention. Thus, notwithstanding disadvantaging predictive factors, given the proper and adequate resources, these students can succeed. The guarantee of achievement by all children may, or may not be, attainable. But the State will ensure that all children will not perform up to their capabilities if it does not give them the educational opportunity to achieve.
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 12:21pm	Ha ha ha The "anecdotal evidence" examined by the courts was provided by members of the teachers union. It's not surprising that if you ask a government employee if more funding would be a good thing they will respond affirmatively.
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 2/8/2010 @ 12:22pm	I heard that the Obama administration was planning to set up re-education camps for conservatives. Does anyone have any idea when the one in Tacoma will be ready? I can see how this might be useful considering some of the posts on this topic.
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 12:27pm	"I heard Obama was planning to set up re-education camps." Crenshaw That's funny, he can't even move his stated agenda through congress and his popularity has fallen so dramatically that Sarah Palin may be running against him in the next election.
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 2/8/2010 @ 12:37pm	Run, Baby, Run!!!
by marieantoinette on 2/8/2010 @ 1:09pm	Fredo, I agree with what you are saying regarding how to be a good parent. I would also add, work with your children's school as a volunteer and get involved... however for the "homeless" kids at my son's school this would be kind hard to achieve...AND I heard today on Air America that Sarah Palin was advising the Republican Party...to definitely include the Teabaggers in their agenda...go for it... Tan credo wants to reinstate the southern literacy test as it would have prevented Senator Obama from becoming President, or back in the day...from voting... period sounds like a sound education plan for teabaggers...and the billionaires for wealthcare of America.
by NSHDscott on 2/8/2010 @ 3:07pm	I don't see how it's Obama's fault that he can't move his agenda through a Congress made up of just enough of the opposing party for them to join arms and dig their heels in to prevent anything resembling progress. Seems to me that all the elephants want to do is "embarass" him by causing his agenda, on which the nation elected him, to fail. Not that this has much of anything to do with Tacoma replacement levies. I did find fredo's comment useful where he pointed out that the school district will be collecting $80M in taxes every year as opposed to a percentage, since a set value is unaffected by real estate values going down — or going up, as they will start to do, sooner or later. Can't say it changes my mind, though, and I'm shelling out good money if the levy passes as my home is worth considerably more than the Tacoma average that is typically cited.
by panachronic on 2/8/2010 @ 3:28pm	I don't see how it's Obama's fault that he can't move his agenda through a Congress made up of just enough of the opposing party for them to join arms and dig their heels in to prevent anything resembling progress. They had a filibuster-proof majority from January of '09 right up until last Friday, and they still couldn't do most of what Obama wanted done. But yeah... that doesn't have much to do with Tacoma's schools, I agree.
by Erik on 2/8/2010 @ 4:11pm	Update: Event: Election Night Party!! Start Time: Tomorrow, February 9 at 8:00pm End Time: Tomorrow, February 9 at 10:30pm Where: School Levy Campaign Headquarters 1628 S Mildred Tacoma, WA
by Erik on 2/8/2010 @ 5:12pm	From the Tribune: Vote to support your local schools Tuesday is an important one for many South Sound school districts. They need voters to either get to the polls or remember to turn in their absentee ballots and support continuation of important maintenance and operation levies. Those levies aren't about frills. Although the state supposedly funds basic education and a King County judge disputes that school districts would have a hard time educating students and complying with state and federal mandates without levy money. In fact, levies fund about 20 percent of districts' budgets. Without it, schools would have to cut down to the barest of bones. They could lose teachers, school nurses, counselors, bus routes, special education, classroom supplies and extracurricular activities like music, art, drama and sports. blog.thenewstribune.com/opinion/2010/02/...
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 8:54pm	Ironic that the News Tribune is campaigning for a tax increase. Just a few months ago they were lobbying Olympia for a multi million dollar tax loophole...and they got it.
by Maria on 2/8/2010 @ 9:23pm	I'm going to post something "shocking" here: it costs a certain amount to educate the children of our state. Whether we pay through levies, pay out of pocket, or pay through means legislated by the state...WE (you and I) still get to pay. There is no Fairy State Godmother who is going to foot the bill even if the recent court ruling is upheld. School spending can be made more efficient. Construction costs can be cut. (Though God forbid we should start building Soviet-era bunkers.) Teachers salaries could be reduced somewhat during this economic season. However, it's still going to cost money, and in the end, this comes from taxes. I'm voting yes for my district levy, because I believe education is one of the most important foundations for enlightened citizenship in a democracy. I will vote yes despite some of the inefficiencies. Why? Because despite inefficiencies in the Dept. of Transportation, in my doctor's office, at the emergency room, at my bank and at my favorite restaurants....I still drive on the roads, get medical care, save money and eat out. There's no such thing as perfect bureaucracy. It's like a mango...you lose a lot due to waste, and there's no way to cut that thing up without a big mess. I wish one day the federal government, military, schools, medical system, etc. could be run with 100% efficiency but that's not going to happen. Never has, never will. There's a certain point at which I would vote no for a levy (we did in my town for a fire levy last year, actually). I don't feel my district or Tacoma is at that point. So don't mistake this as a blank check. But reasonable costs, even for a beautiful window in a school or livable wages for teachers, I don't have a problem with. Honestly, I am not going to complain about it when I spend more money on coffee every month than my levy will cost me. My kid/your kids are a better longterm investment than my caffeine habit.
by fredo on 2/8/2010 @ 10:25pm	"Reasonable costs...I don't have a problem with." Maria Tacomans are already paying over $11,000.00 per student. What would be unreasonable for you?
by Erik on 2/9/2010 @ 12:23am	This Tacomic may shed light on the debate: comics.feedtacoma.com/img/comics/posts/m...
by greenfringegarden on 2/9/2010 @ 10:28am	My son has 29 children in his math class. His teacher has a tutoring session after school to help the kids, however, given the fact that old fashioned discipline and structure are absent from Public Schools, the class gets a bit noisy and so my son sometimes has a hard time following what is going on and many of the kids are behind in basic skills. The way the math is taught...is also harder because it involves integration of skills. So the kids who are behind, because basic skills are lacking start to feel stupid and suffer from not feeling successful, they become more disruptive. These are good kids too. So the teacher has to spend a majority of time doing corrections. In the meantime the kids fall further behind or just decide to drop out altogether. Many of these kids would do just fine if they could have one on one attention. If they do not get it at home...it is not provided at school unless people in the community volunteer or parents provide it at home. Most working parents however...come home exhausted too...they want the schools to provide the tutoring and one on one attention. So what do we do? Smaller class size is the way to go with back up tutoring.
by jenyum on 2/9/2010 @ 10:31am	greenfringegarden: I'm hoping there will be good news on the math curriculum front soon. A number of us are working on it.
by greenfringegarden on 2/9/2010 @ 10:47am	Fredo, you comments just belie the point that in private schools it costs exactly the SAME to educate a child, but private schools do not have the burden of educating children who do not want to be there, lack of parents or parenting, special needs kids, and kids who have emotional problems. If we the people actually funded schools the way they should be...over time...we would actually "SAVE" money on the back end. If our management of schools does not include "autonomy" for teachers and administrators to enforce discipline and expectations that kids come to school to learn, then by default...the schools will fail. This is exactly what is going on.
by fredo on 2/9/2010 @ 10:59am	"So what do we do?"GFG Parents who want their child to excel in math are going to have to spend some time working with the child on their math homework. Parental exhaustion is just an excuse. The taxpayers cannot afford to hire qualified math instructors for immersive one-on-one math tutoring. Parents must coach their children to excel and achieve. There is no math concept including calculus which cannot be mastered by a high school student with the appropriate level of parental involvement. The discipline problems in your son's class are another issue. This is a very thorny issue best addressed in a private school setting. If anyone has a constructive suggestion, I would also like to hear it.
by greenfringegarden on 2/9/2010 @ 11:06am	Jenyum, I am really impressed by my son's teachers. I actually do not know how they handle things given the workload and lack of support sometimes. It is simply impossible to teach math for instance and expect good results without one on one time with kids, or working in small groups. I used to tutor kids in math and when my son went to his small poor parochial school, kids who were behind got tutoring by community members or volunteers or relatives. Not just math but reading and other subjects. Now, the teacher is expected to present a concept...and work through it with the kids and too bad if they do not get it or need extra help, the teacher is required to move on, so guess what happens...kids fail. How do you fix this if you do not have volunteers or extra support?
by greenfringegarden on 2/9/2010 @ 11:17am	Fredo, there are points that I agree with you...but what do you do when kids do not have parents? Or have parents that are overstressed and overworked? Or who actually lack education? This is the reality...Personally I would structure schools differently and I would start in Preschool..I have seen a poor private school work...but it was because the "community" had agreed upon goals, regardless of race, creed or social status. If we cannot kick kids out of school, and have to adjust to kids who do not want to be there....how do you handle that? My son who wants to learn is basically sitting with kids who for one reason or another do not or cannot, or do not have parental support. I know how I would handle it...I would make the schools tougher and really enforce respect and discipline. I have come to the conclusion that many educators simply do not know how to do this because they lack the authority and autonomy, moreover basic common sense management of "bodies" has been lost. All this simply drives me nuts as a progressive because I see many management problems due to lack of community support. What do you do with students who refuse to conform? On a worksite...these folks get fired...in schools the teachers have to deal with them. What about the parents who are on drugs? This is the reality of public school Fredo.
by fredo on 2/9/2010 @ 11:26am	You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. All the school system can do is provide the instruction. If parents and their children are so uninvolved and distracted by their facebooks, twitters, and other distractive technologies that they don't acquire the skills needed to advance in society, well too bad. There will always be some people who will fail. Better to give such students Fs on their report cards then give them a diploma.
by greenfringegarden on 2/9/2010 @ 11:59am	The schools are providing far more than instruction Fredo. They are providing values, parenting, food, security and safety for many children. I do not think complex questions can be solved with simple answers all the time. I also disagree with the statements that parents do not care. They do care, but rarely if ever are they even asked to even be involved with the schools. I would offer ways parents/guardians could volunteer on weekends and evenings, I would invite seniors and retired people into the schools. We cannot succeed as a society if we are not vitally interested in raising the bar and our standards. Many parents including myself work 60 or more hour work weeks. As our middle class shrinks and community involvement decreases it is harder and harder to get people together. I talked to a young woman yesterday who graduated from Cloverpark school district. She is now at TCC. She said the levy was continually voted down...she received very substandard education (she graduated) and now in a community college and shocked at how great it is and she has learned more in a few weeks than she learned for years in her local school. Flunking kids who do not earn grades is a great idea...I am in favor of course of standards...but what do you do with the people who flunk? You still have not answered this question. It is not the kids fault if they do not get the support they need...should we just put them in prison?
by greenfringegarden on 2/9/2010 @ 12:01pm	I personally am in favor of small community based schools where instruction, then re-instruction can occur and we route people to trades and technical work as well as traditional college.
by fredo on 2/9/2010 @ 12:07pm	"what do you do with the people who flunk?" Give them high paying government jobs which require little thought or let them sit home and watch infomercials all day and sponge off entitlements.
by greenfringegarden on 2/9/2010 @ 6:29pm	Fredo, your smart ass answers belie the fact that you do not have solutions...voting down a levy is not the answer...voting yes on the levy is the answer as well as rolling up your sleeves and getting in community with your fellow Americans. My hand is over my heart too...and it is for the children of America, our future leaders and the people who will care for us when we are old.
by Erik on 2/9/2010 @ 8:29pm	Tacoma Public Schools wins! Looks like Fredo in the end was won over and voted for Tacoma Public Schools!!! Tacoma SD No. 10 - Prop. 1 YES 63.44% NO 36.56% Tacoma SD No. 10 - Prop. 2 YES 57.86% NO 42.14% www.co.pierce.wa.us/pc/abtus/ourorg/aud/... Except for Clover Park, only 50 percent vote of the vote is needed.
by david on 2/9/2010 @ 9:05pm	Cheers
by jenyum on 2/9/2010 @ 9:14pm	woot! Looks like all Pierce County school levies/bonds will pass. Right now Clover Park is coming in just over 60%.
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