REALTORS® Urge “Yes” Vote on Shoreline School District Funding Measures

Three proposals for funding Shoreline schools received endorsement from the Seattle King County REALTORS® (SKCR). The measures will be on the February 9, 2010 ballot.

SKCR president Keith Nelson said the endorsement was by unanimous vote of the Association’s Governmental & Public Affairs Committee, which considered several factors in its deliberations.

The propositions include a Levy for Educational Programs, Maintenance and Operations, a Capital Levy for Technology Improvements and Support, and Bonds for Replacement/
Modernization of Shorecrest and Shorewood high schools. The two levies require a simple majority to pass, while the bond issue requires approval from at least 60 percent of voters in the district, which serves nearly 10,000 students.

In urging voters in the Shoreline School District to join REALTORS in supporting the measures, Nelson said SKCR members are also being asked to volunteer for phone banks, preparing mailings, distributing signs, helping with sign-waving campaigns, and other hands-on assistance to get out the vote and promote passage. 

“With additional state education funding cuts expected, continued local support for school levies is critical,” he remarked. “Good schools are the first thing homebuyers ask us about,” said Nelson. In emphasizing the importance of high quality schools, he noted good schools preserve and enhance the value of family homes, and “they’re crucial to the futures of the students in the Shoreline School District.”

Nelson, in a letter to Sue Walker, superintendent of the Shoreline School District, praised the district for several noteworthy accomplishments:

• Multiple “Top 10” positions on Seattle Magazine’s annual ranking of 110 neighborhoods, which considers quality of schools in the criteria.
• Fulfilling a three-year commitment to restore fiscal stability to the district.
• Recent achievements by seven teachers who earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The district now has 36 such board-certified teachers.
• The district’s distinction in providing an unmatched array of amenities for students, families and staff, including a registered nurse at each school during all student hours, a full-time certificated librarian in every school, a family resource advocate in all elementary schools, and security monitors in every secondary school.
  
• A commitment to excellence with its history of solid levy support and involvement from its voters.
• Inclusion of community representatives in the two-year planning process and on the design teams for the replacement/modernization of Shorecrest and Shorewood high schools.

If all three proposals are approved, the estimated new combined levy and bond rate in 2011 and 2012 would be $5.25 per $1,000 of assessed value, and a stable $5.15 in the subsequent years. Current 2010 rates are $5.29 per $1,000, so this represents no change to the average taxpayer.

 

Shorewood model

 

Proposition 1, commonly referred to as an “M&O levy,” provides a crucial 20 percent of the General Fund budget. It is a four-year replacement of an expiring levy for educational programs, maintenance and operations.

The second measure, if passed, authorizes the district to sell up to $150 million in bonds for construction expenses associated with modernizing/replacing Shorecrest and Shorewood high schools. The 2006 bond included funds for the planning and design of the projects, but not the actual construction costs. A 2013 completion date for these projects is anticipated.

Proposition 3 is the Capital Levy for Technology Improvements and Support. It would provide approximately $3 million per year for technology-related expenses, including software, licenses, subscriptions, equipment replacement, professional development and training for staff, and infrastructure to support current and emerging information technology. About $2 million per year is now being earmarked from the district’s General Fund to cover these costs, so the levy, if passed, would free those funds for expenditures related to class size reduction and curricula. 

Shorecrest model

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The Seattle King County REALTORS®, with 6,000-plus members, is a local board of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Its members participate in matters at all levels of government that affect private property rights, housing supplies, affordability and homeownership opportunities. Membership is voluntary, and only members may use the term REALTOR®, which is a licensed collective trademark.