In November 2000, voters approved Initiative I-728, to pay for additional teachers to lower class sizes in our schools statewide. Over the past two legislative sessions, the legislature has eliminated all funding for I-728. The elimination of I-728 funding and the current legislative reductions means the state no longer funds 17 teaching positions in Riverview School District.
While significantly reducing funding to school districts, the Legislature passed SHB 2893, which the Governor signed on March 29, 2010, providing the opportunity for school districts to ask our taxpayers for a one-time supplemental levy to partially replace the funding eliminated by the legislature.
Due to reductions in state funding and increased operational costs, Riverview has over a $1,000,000 budget deficit. In order to balance next year’s budget, we are reducing staff, eliminating a textbook series purchase, and using the ending fund balance to maintain as many teachers as we can. We can only do this for one year. Without the passage of this supplemental levy, we will face an additional $1 million budget reduction for the 2011-12 school year.
Please help us keep our class sizes manageable by maintaining teachers, vote YES on this temporary supplemental levy!
Statement submitted by: Wendy Tumbleson and Pam Werner
