Why we should support levies

Published 2:32 pm Thursday, January 14, 2010

By Matthew Bott

Yes, we all realize the importance of education for our children, our community, our businesses and our society.

Yes, we are all aware that our children will graduate into an ever-more competitive and global job market where they will be tested and challenged unlike any generation before them.

Yes, Issaquah voters have a long and proud history of supporting Maintenance and Operations (M&O), School Bus and Capital levies for the Issaquah School District.

This time, however, in this economy, for this school district, for this community and these 16,000-plus students, your support of the three replacement levies is more crucial than ever. Allow me to explain why.

As the economic events of the past year have unfolded, and unemployment, business closures, government service reductions and the like have plagued our state and community, we are entering into an era of great unpredictability. Many of the old assumptions have been tossed aside and much of the optimism that we grew accustomed to has been tempered.

It is times like these, and especially this time, when we support “what works.” This is why the Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce and scores of local businesses, citizens and organizations are endorsing the three levies being run by the Issaquah School District early this February.

Since my work revolves around the world of local business, let me borrow an often overused but important business concept: the core competency. A core competency is an organization’s primary strength, its dominant market position, or its major product for which it is known and builds from and invests in. In short, the core competency is what’s proven to work—a source of pride and strength built through hard work, strategic choices and careful tending and nurture.

Very clearly, one of greater Issaquah’s core competencies is our school system. It is one of the community features by which we are known for across the state. There is no shortage of families who have moved to Issaquah, or shortage of businesses who have established operations in Issaquah, due in large part to the success of our local schools in providing an outstanding educational experience to our children.

In good times, you certainly work to support your core competencies, your strengths, your points of pride and your areas of success. However, in difficult times, you protect your core competencies at every turn. This is why we urge a “Yes” vote on all three levies.

So what are the levies and why is the Issaquah School District deserving of your vote to renew them? The three levies — M&O, School Bus, and Capital — are “renewal” or “replacement” levies, meaning they are reauthorizations of levies previously approved by voters. In recognition of these difficult times, the district is not asking to increase local taxes, just to renew those previously approved.

The M&O levy pays for essential operations including teachers (to reduce class sizes) and specialized curriculum (such as foreign languages), each critical to a 21st Century education. In fact, this levy accounts for a full 19 percent of the district’s operating budget.

The School Bus levy allows the district to maintain its outstanding record of safety in transporting children to and from school.

Finally, the Capital (technology and repairs) levy allows the students to continue receiving high-quality technology-based resources to ensure they are competitive in the new labor marketplace, which demands high technological proficiency.

The district’s record of financial management is strong and well documented. It has maintained one of the highest bond ratings in Washington – one indicator of adept fiscal management.

Square this with the fact that Washington ranks 43rd out of 50 states in per-pupil education funding, and Issaquah ranks 271st out of 295 Washington State school districts in this category. The levy system is the funding mechanism provided by law to a community to allow local citizens the ability to invest directly in the quality of its schools to overcome these shortfalls.

Despite these challenges, our students continue to score among the highest in the state, and we continue to produce outstanding graduates. A yes vote will continue this level of success in a time where we must invest in what works, we must provide certainty in a time of uncertainty, and continue to build upon a proven core competency of our community.

It is no secret that there remains much work to do in the area of education policy reform, at all levels of governance. As an advocate for businesses and as a parent, I share these concerns and am anxious to see reform come to fruition.

Nonetheless, we are extremely fortunate to have a very successful school system in Issaquah, and one which provides immeasurable returns to our community, our local economy and our society. The management of resources and learning outcomes are proven successes.

So don’t forget to mail your ballots by Tuesday, Feb. 9. We urge your full support for all three levies.

It matters quite a bit for our community and its future. In difficult economic times like these, supporting “what works” is more crucial than ever.

Matthew Bott is the Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce.