This is in response to the March 13 Peninsula Daily News article “Lawmakers OK Levy Cliff Legislation; School Funding Issue Is Still On Legislature’s List”] and the state Legislature’s passage of a bill to delay until 2019 a reduction in the amount of money school districts could collect from property taxes for basic education.
The ending date of this bill will be seven years after the 2012 McCleary decision, a legal suit that the state lost — and lost again on appeal.
To date, the state Legislature is being held in contempt of court, with a daily fine of $100,000 assessed.
McCleary also dictated that it is unconstitutional for local property tax levies to cover basic education.
This debacle continues to be a national laughingstock.
Over many decades, many times the Legislature has approved funding for “less-than-paramount” pet projects, neglecting basic education.
In the real world, if a family’s paramount task is putting food on the table, tickets to the theater and $8 mochas are not an option until food is provided for.
Democrat Jay Inslee, the governor of this state, and his administration are currently feuding with the president of the United States over the issue of illegal immigration and Inslee’s belief that Washington is a “sanctuary state.”
This probably will result in many tens of millions of dollars in federal funds being denied because laws are not being heeded.
Obviously, that would severely affect the state’s budget.
The president has been exceedingly clear that he will not tolerate this unlawful behavior.
What do these facts say about Washington voters and legislators?
Last time I checked, politicians work for the people.
Richard H. Lorhman,
Sequim