2004 Seattle Elections

Primary Elections Voters' Guide

Seattle Families and Education Levy

Statement Against

PROPOSITION ONE WILL BE DECIDED IN THE PRIMARY

We all support improving educational opportunities for at-risk children. This proposal, however, is seriously flawed and doesn't deserve community support.

Read the entire initiative text carefully. A YES vote gives the City Council a blank check to spend $117 million on anything it wants, no matter how remote the relationship to education. Programs don't have to show they improve academic achievement. Politically connected agencies would continue to receive funding no matter how little they help at-risk students. This is not responsible government.

Seattle's 14-year experiment with "family levies" has been a failure. Very little of the $138 million that we've spent has contributed to academic achievement. We can't afford to keep wasting time and money on ineffective programs that still leave our children behind. Nevertheless, the City Council seeks to increase spending by 69% above the 1997 levy, even though there are now fewer children in Seattle Public Schools than there were in 1997.

This ill-conceived tax increase will hurt working families more than it helps.

VOTE NO and ask the City Council for a fair and effective levy that requires all funded programs to show meaningful improvements in academic achievement.

Statement prepared by:

Stefan Sharkansky, Andy MacDonald, Bart Cannon www.soundpolitics.com/FamilyLevy.html

Rebuttal to Statement Against

We are continuing the existing Families and Education levy - this is not a new tax.

Widespread Support

Parents, educators and community leaders spent hundreds of hours meeting to develop a comprehensive plan to give every child and family a chance to succeed.

Increased Accountability

Levy programs will be held accountable for showing measurable improvements in academic achievement, attendance, student health and discipline.

A Citizen's Oversight Committee will thoroughly monitor how levy funds are spent.

Rebuttal prepared by:

Norm Rice, Greg Nickels, David Della