Our Voice: School equity key to state budget talks

State Republican and Democratic legislators have set their budget positions, outlined their strategies and delivered a little pre-fight trash talk.

Now they have to reach an agreement. Judging by the very different proposals each chamber has put forth, that’s not going to be easy.

The rest of the session is likely to be long and contentious. Not only must lawmakers craft a balanced multi-billion dollar budget, but they also must finally meet the court-ordered requirement to amply fund K-12 education.

Legislators have delayed complying with the Supreme Court McCleary decision for years, but they cannot put it off any longer if they are going to meet the court’s deadline.

The House version pumps an additional $7.1 billion in the K-12 education system through a proposed capital gains tax, as well as making shifts in real estate excise taxes and the state’s business and occupation tax.

The idea is that more money for schools solves the problem.

But the Democrat-led plan also leaves in place the ability for school districts to run local levies for basic education. And that is problematic.

The reason the McCleary lawsuit has become such a force is that it shined a light on our inequitable school funding system.

For too long the state has failed in its constitutional duty to amply fund K-12 education. To make up for that failure, communities that could afford it used local tax money from school levies to bridge the difference.

State officials turned a blind eye for decades, allowing students in poorer communities to go without resources that students in other, more affluent areas were able to receive.

That’s not right.

The Senate addresses this inequity by swapping local school maintenance and operation levies with a new, statewide property tax. This will lead to lower property taxes in most communities, including Kennewick, Pasco and Richland.

The plan will, however, raise the property tax rate in more affluent areas like Bellevue and Mercer Island. Gov. Jay Inslee has criticized this approach, saying it raises taxes for too many people who are already living in high-cost areas.

But under the House plan, poor school districts likely will still lag behind rich ones, and the inequity will continue..

We think that goes against what McCleary is all about. State lawmakers cannot risk setting up an education plan that is not fair, and likely won’t meet the court requirement.

Under the Senate proposal, money would be invested on a per pupil basis, providing at least $12,500 for each student. This reforms the state’s K-12 education system instead of simply adding more money to school budgets.

However, on another note, there is one area where we believe more money would make a significant difference, and that is for salaries at Western State Hospital.

Senate Republicans are dismissing the pay increases Gov. Inslee negotiated with state workers in closed-door contract negotiations.

We are not fans of this process. It allows the governor to hammer out a contract with state employees in secret, and then present the terms to the Legislature without discussion.

That many of these state employees donate to the governor’s election campaign is especially unsettling. We agree with Senate Republicans that the process should be more transparent.

But by refusing to fund almost all state employee contracts, GOP lawmakers are making it tough to attract and keep health care workers at Western State Hospital.

With this particular employee group, the Senate should bend.

The psychiatric hospital is known for being understaffed and badly managed. It needs stability. That could come if employees are better compensated.

Our divided state Legislature has its work cut out in the coming weeks. Lawmakers must balance the budget and meet the McCleary order.

And this time, they can’t leave Olympia until they do.

This story was originally published April 2, 2017 at 3:48 AM with the headline "Our Voice: School equity key to state budget talks."