Don’t take out tax frustration on kids

We know that the state Legislature does not fully fund public education. We know that voted levies are the accepted method in this state to bridge the gap between the true cost of what the community expects from our schools and revenues from government. Finally, we know that if the North Thurston school district levy fails May 20, it will be an unmitigated disaster for this school district and its children.

The existing NTPS levy expires at the end of this year and if it is not replaced, athletics, music, art, special education and many other programs will be cut, maybe eliminated. Class sizes will grow beyond acceptable limits. North Thurston will not be able to remain a first-class school district.

Families look for good school districts when they choose a home to buy or rent. If North Thurston is forced to operate on a budget primarily from state and federal revenue due to a failed school levy, it will take years to recover. I believe property values will become substantially lower in North Thurston than comparable homes in Olympia and Tumwater.

I realize that taxes in general have gone up and many people are struggling to make ends meet, however this is not the place to cut taxes. Our children need us to be strong and make the right decision on this vote. Please vote “yes” on the school levy.

Glenn Wells, Olympia

North Thurston offers a quality education

Educating our children must be our number one priority. Passage of the North Thurston Public Schools’ levy will help us live up to that commitment.

Passage of the levy is important to each of us. If we do not have good schools, it will be difficult for businesses to find good employees. If we do not have good schools, people will not want to buy or rent residential property in our district. If we do not have good schools, property values will decline.

The current levy passed four years ago when diesel fuel averaged $1.55 a gallon; now it’s about $4.50. Student enrollments, approaching 14,000, are increasing! The district has almost as many students as Olympia and Tumwater combined, and the proposed NTPS levy rate is lower than the rate in either of those districts.

North Thurston is not top heavy in administration. Of 290 districts across the state, North Thurston ranks 262 in fewest administrators per student.

Both homeowners and renters will pay to support the levy when it passes. Owners of rental properties include property taxes in their rent calculations.

My children both graduated from North Thurston Public Schools, have college degrees and family wage jobs. They got an excellent education at North Thurston.

The school levy investment we make in North Thurston students will benefit each and every one of us. Most of all, it will help prepare our students to become productive members of our community.

We owe it to the children, the community, and ourselves to vote “yes.”

Rep. Sam Hunt, D-Olympia

Students need school levy to pass

A failed levy is not going to punish frivolous administrators as many state. It will only hurt students such as myself. Closed pools, less busing, $250 sports fee, 100-plus lost teachers, all librarians laid off, cut art and PE programs, no band, eliminated counselors, cut special education, no advanced programs, etc., will devastate our schools.

I hope everyone will remember how important high school was to them and not take that away from this generation. Please vote “yes” for the levy.

Kyle Murphy, student, North Thurston