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2003 Seattle Election Information Primary Election Voters' Guide Initiative 77 - Fund Early Childhood Programs Video Voters' Guide Statement For Click Here to View the You will need Statement For All children should have the opportunity to succeed in school and in life. With high quality early learning, children do better in school. They are more likely to graduate from high school, go on to college, and earn more as adults. Children with a strong start in life are less likely to commit crimes. In fact, for every $1 spent in the early years, taxpayers save $7 in later costs. * Initiative 77 improves opportunity for children to succeed in school by expanding pre-kindergarten and readiness-to-learn programs. Right now, Head Start is denied to over 60% of low-income kids.Kindergarten teachers know that half of all children are not ready to learn when they start school. That's why teachers and principals support I-77. They know that we can close the achievement gap with high-quality pre-kindergarten. For low-income children, this is especially important. I-77 will provide funding for pre-kindergarten for over 900 of these low-income kids. * Initiative 77 improves the affordability of childcare. Low-income parents often pay up to 50% of their income on childcare. Right now, more than 600 children are on Seattle's waiting list for childcare subsidies. I-77 will fund sliding scale subsidies for every child on that waiting list. * Initiative 77 improves quality childcare. The key ingredient for children's long-term success is the quality and consistency of their caregivers. Yet parking lot attendants earn more than childcare workers whose low wages result in turnover rates of more than 40%. I-77 will fund the early childhood education career and wage ladder for childcare workers. This gives an incentive for childcare workers to stay in the field and further their education. It increases the quality of care for the 5,000 kids these childcare workers teach and care for. Seattle agrees. All children deserve a fair start in school. It's 10 cents for kids. We can do that! Initiative 77 is endorsed by Seattle PTA Council and local PTAs, Seattle Education Association, Seattle Human Services Coalition, A. Philip Randolph Institute, Seattle Women's Commission, Washington Federation of Teachers, Seattle School Nurses Association, Church Council of Greater Seattle, Washington Association of Churches, King County Labor Council, Service Employees International Union, Seattle Central Community College Faculty, Speaker Frank Chopp, State Representatives Eileen Cody, Ruth Kagi, Sharon Tomiko Santos, Mary Lou Dickerson; King County Councilmembers Cynthia Sullivan, Dwight Pelz, Larry Phillips; 34th 36th & 37th Democratic Districts, and over 250 doctors, teachers, and parents. Statement prepared by: Tim Sheehan, Whitman Middle School Teacher; Ben Ostrom, Orca Elementary School Principal; Lt. Roy Davis, Seattle Firefighter; Ramoncita Maestas, MD, Family Practice Physician, Professor, University of Washington; Ruth Quinet, Owner/Founder of Still Life On The Ave Cafe; Chris Maykut, Owner/Founder of Chaco Canyon Cafe; Jill Sells, MD, Pediatrician; Angela Maxie, Director of Tiny Tots Development Center; Ellen Punyon, Principal, Wing Luke Elementary School Phone: (206) 265-0006 Rebuttal to Statement For Seattle supports children's programs. That's why next year voters will be asked to renew a variety of programs with a history of benefiting our children: a school levy, the Family & Children's levy and a school bond issue. Seattle voters are also smart enough to see through phony Tim Eyman-like initiatives that promise much more than they can deliver. That's why a "NO" vote on I-77 is the responsible vote. There's a need for increased childcare funding, but as the Puget Sound Journal Business wrote in July, "Initiative 77 fatally mixes the excellent goal of providing more funding for child-care programs with the very bad idea of burdening small businesses with a precedent-setting tax concept that would open a Pandora's box of new tax ideas." Our kids deserve better than an "espresso tax". Reject negative attacks on Seattle small businesses and bumper-sticker solutions to complex problems _ vote No on I-77. Rebuttal prepared by: Norman B. Rice, Former Mayor, City of Seattle; Advisory Committee, JOLT/No on I-77 |
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