You have the opportunity, by Feb. 14, to show your support for your school district as all three major districts will be asking for approval of their operational levies.

On behalf of the Kennewick School District I urge you to support these levies as they amount to as much as 20 percent of their district's budget and provide for staff, programs, transportation and other operational costs that are not fully funded by the state.

Particularly in tight budget times such as these with the legislature discussing potential additional cuts in education, it is important that we provide local support of our schools that have all demonstrated their ability to be good stewards of our money and our children.

These levies do not represent new taxes but are an extension of the levies previously approved in 2010.

Please pick your ballot up off of your kitchen counter before it gets misplaced or forgotten, mark it yes and get it in the mail. Your schools and your kids will appreciate it.

Rick Peenstra, Kennewick Bond and Levy Committee