Levy swaps would strip much needed basic education from our children along with numerous other subsidized programs, many of which are federally mandated yet not fully supported by state and federal funding. We have already voted to support these levies - some of which we have already paid for.

*Instead of addressing how to raise revenue for school districts, the legislature’s 2015 Report lists several proposals that would raid revenue from school districts by tying a State funding increase to a corresponding local funding decrease. (This is sometimes called the “levy-swap” or, more accurately, “levy-swipe” maneuver.) 

For example, Shoreline School District's existing levies fund over 28% of our annual operating budget.

The Shoreline Levy for educational programs,
maintenance, and operations supports Basic education programs not fully supported by state and federal funding including:

• Special education programs
• Highly capable programs
• Remedial programs
• Vocational education programs
• Full-time nurses in each school.Family advocates
• Drug and Alcohol specialists
• School Resource Officers
• Librarians
• Instructional materials
• Maintenance of current class sizes
• Building maintenance, utilities, and transportation
• Extra-­curricular student activities including Music, Drama, and Athletics

This is only one example and will be repeated in school districts all over our state.

The Senate is trying to steal from our children's basic education funds to meet their Federally mandated statute.

*http://classsizecountswa.com/levy-swap-levy-swipe/

*http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/state-in-weird-place-trying-to-alter-reliance-on-school-levies/

*http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/politics-government/article26125117.html

SB 6130 - 2015-16 Concerning the state's constitutional basic education obligation

*http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2015-16/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/6130.pdf

*http://www.tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwplayer&eventID=2015060048