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Early Election Results: Local GOP Maintains Power; Some Races Tight

Vancouver, WA — According to early election results, local Republicans will maintain power with wins in many key races, from the 3rd Congressional district to state and local seats. The race for Clark County Council Chair, however, is led by Democrat Eric K. Holt, who currently holds a 1,200 lead over Republican Eileen Quiring.

Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, with 52.2 percent, is likely to win her relection bid against Carolyn Long. Herrera Beutler spoke to supporters and volunteers in Vancouver following election returns. Long outspent Herrera Beutler by more than $1 million.

“People know truth when they see it,” said Herrera Beutler. “Just let me say thank you, thank you, we have an awesome team heading to the State Legislature. We have a daunting task ahead but I look forward to this fight and many others alongside you for the people of this region and this country. Thank you so much and God bless.”

Asked what the national results say about the mood of the nation, Herrera Beutler said: “I do feel like folks here in SW Washington want a representative who’s a local representative who focuses on local issues.”

Political newcomer, Larry Hoff, a Republican, is embarking on his second career following 35 years working for credit unions. He will likely serve in the LD 18, Pos. 2 seat which is currently being vacated by Representative Liz Pike.

“I feel great, I’m one-for-one,” said Hoff. “It feels great. It’s a reflection on all the work we did, and all the volunteers. We’re ready to get to work. I’m excited to go to work and be part of solutions, common sense solutions. I learned that you cannot do this alone, and I’m excited about the fact that we had a wonderful team.”

His opponent, Kathy Gillespie, a Democrat, is losing her second bid for this seat. It was a tough night for her.

“I feel grateful to all of our supporters and the people who worked for the campaign these past 15 minutes who demonstrated their support,” said Gillespie. “I think sometimes progress comes slower than we want to see it come. Certainly, I would have preferred to see a different vote total tonight, but we’re proud of the work that we’ve done.”

Election

Eric K. Holt holds a slight lead over opponent, Eileen Quiring.

State Representative Brandon Vick, LD 18, Pos. 1, a Republican, handily won his seat and said he looks forward to working on the next budget.

”We have a lot of work to do on McCleary,” said Vick. “And we promised voters we’d lower their property taxes.”

Eric K. Holt holds a 1,200 point lead, and he was cautiously optimistic at the Democrat event.

”What this is telling me is that we’re still really a divided country and that we need to do a lot of healing,” said Holt. “I will bring us back together as a county, as a country so we can work together as Americans.”

Temple Lentz, a Democrat, is handily winning her race for Clark County Council.

State Rep. Vicki Kraft, 17th LD holds a slight lead over Tanisha Harris. Clark County Assessor, Peter Van Nortwick, handily won his reelection, as did State Rep. Paul Harris, also a Republican.

“I feel grateful we’re in the winning position,” said Kraft. “We are up by 500 votes, which is exactly where we were in 2016, and we just continued to trend up, so I’m really thankful for the support …”

Stay tuned for updates on these close races.

 

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Camas Mayor Pro Tem Declares November 9 as Kindness Day

Camas, WA — As part of the Camas DECA weeklong Kindness public relations campaign, City of Camas leaders declared Friday, November 9 as “Kindness Day” in an official city proclamation Monday night.

The campaign is in response to the shootings at Parkland, FL and other schools across the country in an effort to remind people that “kindness matters.”

Skyler Becerra and Amie Beld from DECA received the proclamation from Camas Mayor Pro Tem, Don Chaney.

Chaney said this campaign “captures where we all want to be in our hearts.”

After receiving the proclamation both Beld and Becerra addressed the council.

”This campaign promotes kindness, and overall our goal is to be able to have a safer and kinder community within Camas for all citizens,” said Beld.

The DECA campaign is working with six schools across Camas.

”Each of whom are running a kindness day or kindness week currently, right now, to help encourage and impact younger students and help form habits that can impact them for the rest of their lives …,” said Becerra.

DECA member Caden Wengler handed out special bracelets to council members and those in attendance as a reminder to be kind.

Camas High School is penning letters to veterans and doing lunchtime activities to reach out to students in their campaign.

Kindness

 

 

 

THE OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION

”WHEREAS, our days are often filled with information regarding school violence, crime and disaster in the world, often causing feelings of sadness and fear; and

“WHEREAS, kindness is something that can be improved on at all ages and levels of life, it is important to act to create a kinder environment for everyone within the Camas community; and

“WHEREAS, the support of the community and government leaders know that citizen support is one of the most effective ways to improve kindness within our communities; and

“WHEREAS, the daily acts of kindness that occur in our community are largely unseen and ignored; and

“WHEREAS, by recognizing these acts of kindness, all members of our community will be made aware of the importance of being kind to others throughout the year; and

“WHERAS, the purpose of Kindness Day is to remember the simplest acts of kindness that allow our community to be kinder, and safer place to live our lives; and

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, Don Chaney, Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Camas, do hereby proclaim November 9, 2018 as:

“KINDNESS DAY”

“In the City of Camas, and urge all citizens to join me in spreading kindness, generosity and respect of others at all times.”

Jewelry

 

 

 

PHOTO GALLERY

 

 

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Canyon Creek Middle School Plays Host to Parents in the Classroom

Washougal, WA – Canyon Creek Middle School parents and special guests experienced “A Day in the Life” of their students on Monday, October 29 at the seventh annual “CCMS Take Your Parent to School Day.”

“The goal is to bring these parents in for first-hand experience in the classrooms and to see what their students are learning and how they are being taught,” said CCMS principal, Sandi Christensen. “It’s great for them to see our wonderful teachers in action and get the chance to spend this time with their middle school child.”

Christensen said she hopes this time together will help promote conversations at home about friends, teachers, classes and what students are learning.

“Once parents see their student in their element here they can be better able to provide support in their education,” she said.

More than one-third of CCMS students had an adult accompany them to classes.  “It was our most well attended parent day yet,” Christensen said.

Parents were not the only ones who took part in the day with many grandparents, aunts, uncles and other special adults in attendance.

Jemtegaard Middle School held their parent day on October 25, 2018. The Washougal School District will continue to do these events.

 

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Washougal Technical Education Connects With Business Leaders

Washougal WA – Washougal area employers, business leaders and educators came together for an evening of collaboration on October 25 at Washougal High School to help the Washougal School District (WSD) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department leverage existing school programs to prepare the future workforce.

“Businesses are asking us for skilled workers,” said WSD CTE Director, Margaret Rice.  “We want them to understand the current work being done and the programs offered here to prepare our students for their post-secondary education and careers. An important step in this process is to create meaningful standards that, once met, demonstrate to potential employers that this student has learned the skills needed to be successful in a specific industry.”

Keynote speaker Brock Smith, from Precision Exams and Industry Engaged, explained to the nearly 50 attendees that standards are the common language between industry and schools to help quantify the education experience for employers.

“We need industry to be involved and help to set these standards to assist in shaping curriculum and prepare students to be the future workforce,” he said.

Establishing meaningful standards is where Industry Engaged, an online survey program comes into play.

“Employers can use this tool to become a part of the ongoing review and revision of the standards, assessments and available certificates of more than 170 CTE offerings,” Smith explained.  “This ensures that by the time a student has earned a certificate, or a stackable credential, that the knowledge and skills employers desperately need are represented and recognized by those very same employers.”

“I felt the evening was successful,” said Rice. “Creating meaningful opportunities for business and industry folks to partner with education has not been an easy endeavor, with the typical ask being more than most can give.”  Rice pointed out that this industry engagement tool is not only simple to participate in, it’s easy to pass on to others.  “It also provides the added bonus of a direct benefit to students by way of certifications,” she said. “It’s a win-win-win all the way around.”

According to Smith, the ability to connect industry and education with a tool to review and give input on standards will result in teachers teaching and students learning the skills employers look for when making hiring decisions. “When businesses dedicate time to review education standards in subjects their future workers are learning, it benefits more than just their business; it helps our local economy, is a tremendous help for educators and is a great advantage for students,” Smith said.

CTE

Culinary students prepared the dinner.

“Helping a student discover an aptitude and area of interest early in their education provides greater purpose, empowers them, builds confidence and brings meaning to learning,” Rice said.  “It answers the question every student has, ‘When am I ever going to use this?’ because they apply their learning in a practical way that links to their career pathway which keeps them more engaged.”

That engagement is why research shows that CTE students graduate at a 12 percent higher rate than those students who are not CTE concentration completers (360 hours of CTE instruction in one focus CTE area of study).  The positive impact of a high school graduate on a local economy is significant and measurable in increased consumer spending and an increase in contributed state and local taxes.

The evening was sponsored by current business partners.  Harry White from Waddell and Reed sponsored the dinner and Heather Jones and Starbucks sponsored the coffee bar.  The event was staffed with skilled WHS students from Advanced Culinary who planned, prepared and served the dinner, by Future Business Leaders of America members who welcomed guests and assisted participants with signing in. Even the artistic table centerpieces were created by Fine Arts Woodworking and Metals Craft & Production students.

“Our goal this evening was to help bring awareness to local businesses of the programs we offer as well as our work to connect classroom learning with the skills businesses are looking for in their employees,” said Rice. “Input from local industry coupled with recognition of the Career Skills certificates adds tangible value for students as it directly ties the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a pathway leading to high-demand jobs with local employers.”

Rice is working with her teachers to expand WSD local partnerships to gain insight into the needs of industry. One way they are doing this is through their Program Advisory Committees. These committees focus on providing direction, help to set and achieve goals, and assist in accessing resources to support students within specific program areas within the CTE Department.

“We have found that the key to developing the future workforce is connecting employers with the right students and job candidates early in their educational process,” Rice said. “We also want employers to see the validity of these certifications and give students who have met the standards they have helped develop an opportunity to show them what they know maybe through a professional interview or internship.”

To learn more or to become involved in the engagement process asked of local employers, visit https://industryengaged.org/   If you have questions, ideas or want to get involved in Washougal CTE initiatives, contact Rice at (360)954-3121, [email protected]

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Camas City: Mayoral Appointment, Budget, Pool Site Analysis, Land Buys

It’s an extra busy time these days as the City of Camas works on several major initiatives, including the upcoming mayoral appointment, the biennial budget (which includes funds for five new firefighters), researching land for a new aquatics complex, the general obligation bond, and new business licenses, among others.

Mayoral Appointment

While all of these initiatives are happening concurrently, the new mayoral appointment is a top priority, as it will guide the city’s direction. The September resignation of former Mayor Scott Higgins leaves the office vacant, and it will be filled by City Council appointment. Two internal candidates have officially applied for the job — City Councilors Shannon Turk and Melissa Smith — as well as Georerl Niles, who is Chair of the Camas Parking Commission (a volunteer position).

A 2011 city resolution requires the council to interview them all.

“We have seven on council and so the five remaining council members will decide who becomes the next mayor,”said Camas City Administrator, Pete Capell. “They will interview all the candidates with pre-prepared questions. We’ve always asked the candidates to sit in another room during their opponents’ interviews. They’re interviewed in public and then the council will go to executive session. They will work it out until a candidate has a majority.”

Applications were due Friday, October 26, and the special interview meeting is scheduled for November 14. There will be a public swearing-in at the council on November 19. The new mayor will complete the existing term, and then run again next Fall.

Once the mayor position is filled, a similar process will unfold for the vacant council seat, if the council selects one of the two council candidates.

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Biennial Budget

“The biennial budget has been a long time coming, and it’s starting to solidify,” said Capell. “We got direction from council on their preferences. We know what we’re going to put together for public hearing. But, it’s always subject to change right to the end.”

By statute, the biennial budget has to be adopted the first week in December. Getting there, the city will hold a public hearing on November 19, and the council will act on the final budget on December 3.

The two outstanding issues are with the firefighters, and Capell said: “We’re really the only city in Clark County that doesn’t use utility taxes as a general funding measure. So there was discussion about using our reserves (because they’re healthy) but we can take 1 percent property tax levy and determine the millage rate and apply that to new construction and that becomes the new levy amount — it’s added to prior year’s levy. Or we could diversify our revenue to use the utility tax. The council doesn’t want the utility tax. We have a good understanding of what we need to do.”

The city is responding to public outcry about lack of firefighters so the new deal on the table is adding two new firefighter paramedics, two new firefighter EMTs, and one deputy fire marshall.

“Our partner in Washougal cannot afford their 40 percent share of those five positions, so we’re doing an addendum to our intra-city agreement,” said Capell. “Camas will pay for those five positions, and Washougal will make best effort to pay as soon as possible. The Fire Marshall’s office expense is $130,000 in first year, including the cost of a new vehicle. Salary and benefits total $92,000.”

Council

Firefighter Josh Proctor addresses the Camas City Council on May 21.

Currently, the firefighter paramedics/EMTs will cost $459,000 in salary and benefits. The likely cost will go down to $400,000, Capell said.

“This is a different year because of the new construction, and the forecasts with new employers coming in,” Capell said. “These large capital projects, along with the sales tax increases. We’re in a better revenue position since I’ve been here — which is going on five years. Some of it is one-time money that enables us to buy a vehicle or new technology. We have a policy of maintaining 17 percent reserves in the budget, which is two months of operating budget. We’re looking at 29 percent at the end of this year. We’re pretty healthy. We’re hiring more people than we’ve ever added in any year. Part of it is we’re catching up. We’ve gone 20 years with few additions to staff. Adding two police officers, one police records clerk, an engineer, two people in streets. And two people in Parks maintenance over the biennium.”

New Pool Site

Given the closure of the Crown Park Pool, and diminishing public access to the Lacamas Athletic Club pool, the city has been under pressure to build a new pool complex to meet growing recreational, competitive, and health needs.

For the past couple of months, an advisory committee has been meeting to assess best venues and programs to build a new aquatics complex/community center. In those meetings, the committee has analyzed multiple sites and has narrowed down its search to two locations: a 7-acre site near Burger King off Highway 14 (not far from the Camas-Washougal Marina), and a 28-acre Georgia-Pacific Research and Development site on 6th Avenue (by Young’s Deli).

The city has been doing environmental reviews on the GP site, looking to validate if it’s worth public money to purchase the site, which will also help determine market value. There are utility costs, as well.

“It’s obviously tied to the community center because I think there are other public benefits to that site,” said Capell. “We would like to control redevelopment of the site so it’s good for the community in the long term. It’s connected to downtown and has a lot possibilities.”

 

General Obligation Bond

The city will be issuing bonds by end of November and has some of the property north of Lacamas Lake already in negotiations. Most of the money they will raise is being used to preserved forested land near the shore line along with open spaces, which amounts to 120 acres.

Explore How Camas Funds Fire Department in the Long Term

Camas is also looking at the current city service model to determine the the best way to manage the Fire Department. Because it’s a merged department with Camas and Washougal, they have a joint committee that is exploring funding options and seeks to update the intra-local agreement.

“There’s a large body of work looking into how we best deliver these services in the long term,” said Capell.

GP Donated Property

GP donated land by the two dams, a mill ditch and a couple of parcels that are off Washougal River near the mill property. It’s open space and Camas will be maintaining the dams once the transfer closes, and they will apply for grants for those donated properties. The plan is to fill the mill ditch and create a new pedestrian/bicycle route, which will create a nice connection to downtown.

“This is why I’m passionate about the GP site for the pool/community center,” said Capell. “It’ll connect several properties throughout downtown.”

City

Plans for the donates GP property.

Ordinance — A City of Camas Business License

Businesses in Camas do require a state license, but currently Camas doesn’t require a city business license. Having a business license would require the adoption of an ordinance to get it installed by 2020. It’s not a money maker, but will requite a nominal fee, that will the city a better understanding of what businesses are operating in Camas — to make sure sales tax generated in Camas doesn’t go to other places.

Car License Tab Fee

The City Council agreed to delay this until April 2019.

“I’m excited about the revenue generated from that,” said Capell. “It goes to two things: 1) Neighborhood traffic — to have funds to do some speed studies and fix local problems, and; 2) People are willing to pay more for road maintenance and road preservation.”

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CYAC Forum: Responses From Candidates Vick and Thobaben

On October 22, the Camas Youth Advisory Council (CYAC) hosted a forum at Camas Theatre for political candidates vying for four separate offices — the third Washington Congressional District, Clark County Council Chair, and two Washington State Legislative Districts (18th, positions 1 and 2).

This article focuses on the responses between Republican State Representative Brandon Vick and challenger Democrat Chris Thobaben, who are running for the LD 18, position 1 seat in the Washington State House of Representatives. Vick is currently in his third term.

At the forum, each answered a series of questions composed by the CYAC students.

The council opened with a topic very real to students, asking the candidates if they believed the McCleary decision over educators’ salaries was a fix.

Vick affirmed that McCleary made sense, calling it a very good piece of legislation. He also said that salaries were funded as ordered, saying they gave a “big pot of money” to each district to distribute as they wished. Thobaben replied that McCleary was designed to be a fix, but that people did not realize its complexities. He emphasized that teachers are professionals and need to be paid as such.

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The next question addressed the levels of transparency in Legislature. Thobaben recalled being on the campaign trail and getting more calls from lobbyists than constituents. He called for complete transparency, saying he wished that everyone could watch as legislation is written to understand the process. Vick discussed looking at Senate Bill 6617, dealing with transparency in government, and how he decided that it was better than the preexisting bill. He also said there needs to be more flexibility in the matter, saying “Open and transparent makes sense to me.”

The third question addressed the second amendment and gun control. Vick was sure that the issue would be one going back and forth for years to come. However, he did not believe in denying one group of people a right. He also asserted that some people still hunt to eat, making guns a necessary tool. Thobaben said that responsible gun owners treat their weapons with respect, and that mass shooters have not been taught how to properly take care of arms. He also advocated for guns being locked up at all times to prevent easy access and avert potential disasters.

Both candidates thanked CYAC for putting together the forum. Thobaben closed with a call for young people to get involved in politics, and Vick ended with a promise to bring big companies and jobs to the area.

By Riley Kankelberg, Camas High School

Photo Gallery

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Camas School District Faces $3.2 Million Budget Deficit — This Year

Camas, WA — At Monday’s Camas School Board Meeting, Jason McEathron, Director of Business Services for the Camas School District (CSD), addressed the $3.2 million budget deficit the district faces in this current school year, and his plans to form a budget committee to resolve the issue.

“The anticipated budget deficit is $3,212,141 by end of this school year,” said McEathron. “Expenditures are also trending above our initial budget. Labor costs are higher than expected at $4.9 million.”

He said the fiscal issues are primarily a result of the new funding model mandated by the State Legislature — issues that CSD has been open about for months.

Other contributing factors are headcount (which is 2.7 percent higher than budgeted) and Running Start (which is 25.5 percent higher than budgeted).

CSD warned in August that a 3.1 percent teacher pay raise would create deficits, and likely cause layoffs in 2-3 years. Teachers received 9.3 – 12.6 percent pay increases in their negotiated settlement, which last for two years.

At the time, Camas Education Association (CEA) negotiator, Mark Gardner, called it “a scare tactic by the District.” CSD Superintendent Dr. Jeff Snell defended the numbers and has been meeting with schools and the public for months alerting them of the projected deficit. The new funding model cuts the CDS levying capacity by 50 percent, which will result in a nearly $5 million loss within 12 months.

McEathron said expenditures currently outpace revenues, but this is typical during start-up of a new school year. A full end-year report is due by the end of this week.

“We are looking for other areas to sharpen the pencil to adjust the budget,” said McEathron. “We will work to shrink the deficit down. We can’t dip into fund balance because that’s not sustainable.”

To address the deficit, McEathron is creating a public budget committee.

“So, we really want to have a budget committee that involves stakeholders,” said McEathron. “Let’s shed the light on this and let’s work together as a community. We will do this together.”

He said other similar districts across the state are dealing with these same issues. The state is currently $600-900 million short of fully funding education statewide, and that will hit in the 2019-20 school year.

The district will be on the front end of dealing with the state budget, and will work with OPSI, the Governor’s office, and the Legislature, which McEathron said is dealing with a McCleary hangover.

State Representative Brandon Vick, LD-18, responded to the issue in a private interview at the Camas Youth Advisory Council Candidate (CYAC) Candidate Forum.

“The Legislature feels we’ve done our job by fully funding education as mandated by the Supreme Court,” said Vick. “There isn’t much appetite right now to address this. I voted against the bigger McCleary law because I knew it would cause this problem, but I did vote for the fix, which we passed earlier this year.”

About 30 minutes later, Vick publicly said the following at the forum:

“We dealt with McCleary. I voted against the first law. McCleary is a big bill. Does McCleary get the job done? The answer is yes. This was a very good piece of legislation. I think what we did made a lot of sense. We funded McCleary to those salary numbers that were recommended.”

Candidates at the forum were asked about McCleary, and several citizens responded afterward that they wished the candidates for the State offices would have had more to say about the issues the legislation is causing.

McEathron expects to have the CSD budget committee started in November.

 

Deficit

CSD is forming a special Budget Committee to address a $3.2 million deficit.

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Lacamas Magazine is Officially on Apple News! A New Option to Get Updates

Camas, WA — Lacamas Magazine is officially part of Apple News!

What does this mean? Well, each time we post an article from our main website, www.LacamasMagazine.com, and if you subscribe to Apple News (and us) you will receive automatic updates through your Apple News feed. The service is available to consumers who use iPhones, iPads, iMacs, etc.

To sign up, do the following:

  1. Go to this link: Lacamas Magazine on Apple News — Or click on the Apple News App on your device.
  2. In the Search Field, type “Lacamas Magazine.”
  3. Then click on the heart icon to subscribe. It’s that simple!

As we continue to grow — thanks to viewers like — this new endeavor helps expand our presence and reach, and puts us in line with local news cycles from other news outlets like Fox12, OregonLive.com, and many others.

We appreciate all the work by our business partner, Ransom Collective. Please provide feedback.

We are also in Pilot for Google News for our Android users, and will have more information about that in about eight weeks.

 

Apple

Access via iPhone.

About Us

LACAMAS MAGAZINE was launched in 2012 driven by our passion for journalistic excellence seeking real stories about real people. We’ve interviewed mayors, state representatives, a Chamber of Commerce President, CEOs, school principals, city councilors, teachers, athletes, students, pastors, and kids! We’ve discovered fascinating accounts of triumph and tragedy, stamina and strength, hard work, and determination.

We endeavor to share your stories and to publish original and compelling features. With the rise of social media, information has become a recycling of content. We are determined to pursue a higher path.

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Arts Ambassador Scholarship Recipients Honored at Black Pearl

Washougal, WA — The 2018 Arts Ambassador Scholarship recipients were honored at the recent Enspire Arts Celebration Gala, which was held Saturday at the Black Pearl. The Arts Ambassador Scholarship Program is a newly established program offering $500 scholarships towards instruction in any art form and available for students in grades 6-12 throughout Clark County.

Each recipient of a scholarship will provide an arts based community gift to serve the residents of Clark County. Enspire Arts sought students dedicated to their craft, having a strong desire to keep learning and a motivation to enrich the lives of others. Some students have already had several years of study and some are just beginning their formal instruction. Yet, in all of them there is potential to make a positive and meaningful contribution to the community of Clark County.

Aaron Greene is a senior at Union High School and his community gift will be creating a Peer to Peer String Instruction Program to support the school’s orchestra, as well as provide free lessons to those that may otherwise not have access.  In its first year, the program will have 4 tutors, serving 10 students.

Zoe Hill is an 8th grade student at Jemtegaard Middle School and her community gift will be Reaching Others Through Art.  Zoe will be creating a series of comic drawings highlighting the mental dialogue associated with certain mental conditions. This artwork has the potential to open the doors for discussion with local youth and the challenges they are facing.

Zayah Shore is a 7th grade student at Liberty Middle School and her community gift will be Sharing the Love of Music.  Zayah is zealous to encourage young students to give music a try. She plans to visit elementary classrooms to share what it’s like to learn a new instrument and to encourage kids not to be a afraid of a challenge.  

Zachary Lipinski is a junior at Heritage High School and his community gift will be Connecting with Others Through Music.  Zachary’s love of music has drawn him to want to become an orchestra teacher. Zachary will be providing free public music performances around Clark County.

Cassidy Watson is a junior at Camas High School and her community gift will be The Joy of Dance.  Cassidy is a talented young dancer and is excited at the opportunity to share her joy of dance with others.  Cassidy will be offering three contemporary dance workshops to youth around Clark County.

For more information regarding Enspire Arts, their programs, ways to get involved and making a donation, please see www.enspirearts.org

The 2019 Arts Ambassador Scholarship application period will open March 2019.

Ambassado

From left: Aaron Greene, Zayah Shore, Cassidy Watson, Zoe Hill, and Zachary Lipinski.

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State Superintendent Pushes For Capital Gains Tax To Remedy Deficits

Washington state Superintendent Chris Reykdal announced a capital gains tax in his 2019-21 budget Tuesday, which addresses the funding gyrations and looming budget deficits in many districts across the state as a result of the new public school funding model.

Capital

Washington State Superintendent Chris Reykdal.

His proposal includes additional funding for students with special needs, nurses and dual language programs, which have historically been unfunded by the state, requiring local districts to implement levies.

“Our students deserve an education system that does not allow opportunity gaps to persist,” Reykdal said in a statement. “That can only happen if our system provides equitable opportunities and individual learning pathways for each student.”

Reykdal’s budget proposal is funded by an 8 percent long-term capital gains tax that would raise $1 billion annually. His goal is to reduce the state property tax by 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This would affect approximately 53,000 households. Single filers who earn $25,000 from capital gains annually or couples who make more than $50,000 will be taxed.

Jewelry

www.michaelnutterjewelry.com

Would it affect sales of residences? No, said Reykdal.

The objective is to reduce the burden on homeowners so school districts can increase levies as they’ve done in the past.

The state legislature, in their response to the McCleary Supreme Court decision, capped the amount of levy money schools could collect to whichever was less: $2,500 per student or $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. This decision reduced Camas School District levy capacity by 50 percent, and is a chief cause of projected CSD deficits. Districts all over the state are dealing with similar issues, which Reykdal readily admits.

“Without critical changes, the reduction in levies will leave some districts in a very tough financial situation,” Reykdal said in a statement.

The rest of the capital gains tax would go towards these public school funding areas:

  • $150 million for special education
  • $46 million for mentoring and professional learning
  • $45 million for career and technical education
  • $38 million for institutional education
  • $38 million for counselors
  • $20 million for dual credit programs
  • $14 million for dual language programs
  • $13 million for nurses
  • $13 million for mental health and school safety
  • $10 million for expanded learning opportunities
  • $9 million for family and community coordinators

Reykdal’s plans has critics from both Republicans and Democrats.

“The capital gains tax is basically an income tax,” said Clark County Assessor, Peter Van Nortwick. “If we have one Fisher Investments will be gone. You let a new tax in and it expands. The State brings enough in sales and other taxes.”

Retiring State Representative Liz Pike thinks it’s a terrible idea that tries to fix bad legislation with more bad legislation.

”School districts should not have given raises they had no way to pay for,” said Pike. “It was financially irresponsible. I’ve said all along the WEA orchestrated these strikes with Democrat operatives in order to justify a new state income tax. The Capital Gains Tax proposed by OSPI Reykdal is a back door to a new state income tax.”

The capital gains tax was floated by Governor Inslee two years ago, and most recently by House Democrats in this last budget cycle.

“I’m opposed to any new tax structure,” said candidate Larry Hoff, a Republican who is running for the 18th Legislative District, Position 2 seat. “McCleary needs to be fully implemented prior to suggesting that major changes are necessary.”

Hoff’s opponent is also against the capital gains tax.

“I’m disappointed in his proposal,” said Kathy Gillespie, a Democrat who is running for the open 18th, Position 2 Legislative District seat. “It ignores the huge property tax increase passed in 2017 and also ignores the levy swipe contained in that deal. After a summer of strikes and sky-high property tax bills to boot, I don’t think taxpayers will have an appetite for another ‘fix’. The idea has been around for a while. It’s not new, and it’s still a bad idea.”

 

 

 

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