Reflections on senators listening meeting | Letter
Published 5:00 am Sunday, November 8, 2015
On Oct. 19 at the Puget Sound Educational Center in Renton, the fourth of seven legislative listening meetings was held. The meeting was led by Sen. Bruce Dammeier, R-Puyallup, and Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island. Attending from Federal Way Public Schools was Superintendent Tammy Campbell, school board President Geoffrey McAnalloy, board vice president Claire Wilson, board member-to-be Liz Drake and Sally McLean, assistant superintendent of business services.
McAnalloy was one of eight individuals who gave eight-minute speeches followed by over 60 members of the public who gave two-minute speeches. The approximately 20 legislators who attended are to be commended for extending the meeting approximately an hour so that everyone could speak.
In his speech, McAnalloy specifically mentioned two inequities that affected the school district and its residents: (1) the state uses an inequitable and outdated funding formula that is almost 40 years old and favors large school districts such as Seattle and Bellevue, while shortchanging other districts like Federal Way; and (2) property owners in Federal Way must pay a levy tax rate that is two-to-three times what property owners in Seattle pay.
When I testified during the event, I reiterated those two points and stated I was disappointed that it took legislators six months to complete their session and then they waited to the last minute to pass a transportation package and a budget that didn’t address the McCleary decision. Finally, I stated that I didn’t like our regressive tax system (i.e. sales tax) where the poor pay more and the rich pay less when it should be just the opposite.
McLean also testified at the session. I was impressed with individuals who were passionate in their speeches about what the Legislature didn’t do and what they should do.
In addition, some speakers came up with some great ideas on sources to address the funding problem: a capital gains tax, a state income tax (which is progressive), a carbon tax and finally cutting some tax breaks that costs the state billions of dollars in revenue.
Finally, the main theme of all the messages was “find the solution NOW and whatever you do, make it fair!”
Gary Robertson, Federal Way
