Please vote to RENEW this important Seattle Public Schools Capital Levy. Our District is growing! In the next ten years, another 7,000 Seattle children will join our current 49,800 students. To be successful and compete in the 21^st Century economy they must have safe, healthy learning spaces in modern facilities.

The Capital Levy replaces an expiring capital levy and is dedicated to building safe and healthy learning places for our children. Many of our school buildings are over 50 years old and are in need of renovation or replacement. Other schools are overcrowded with additional enrollment expected.  The levy funds safety projects including earthquake upgrades at 37 schools, new roofs and updated safety and mechanical systems. The levy also builds, replaces, renovates or expands 13 schools, including opening new buildings to accommodate the increasing number of families sending their children to Seattle Public Schools. In addition, the levy reduces maintenance backlogs citywide and provides wireless access in all schools.

“The Capital Levy will help our schools and students, and creates many family-wage jobs.”  Norm Rice (former Mayor).

This levy is not a new tax. It replaces the expiring capital levy. Please vote to renew our commitment to Seattle’s children.

Levies should fix schools, not harm them.  This $695 million Capital levy will harm schools.

1. Don’t kill off neighborhood schools with “Walmart-size” elementary schools.  Six new giant 650-student schools: Arbor Heights, Genesee Hill, Olympic Hills, Thornton Creek, Wilson Pacific, Wing Luke.
2. Don’t put TWO schools at Thornton Creek (zaps playfield).
3. Don’t move Schmitz Park to Genesee Hill; honor Schmitz family land gift.
4. Don’t evict Native American programs from Wilson Pacific; don’t demolish building-high Native American-themed murals.
5. Don’t evict Pinehurst alternative program.
6. Don’t toss 80 usable portables.
7. Caution: District’s consultant expects enrollment out-migration when houses start to sell again. 

Poor School Board oversight:

1. Board voted to abandon its authority and allow Superintendent to waive any Board Policy.  (5-2, Directors Carr, DeBell, Martin-Morris, McLaren, Smith-Blum voted yes) (02/15/2012)
2. Court ruled the action illegal.  (Google “Charter Alternative Blocked – KUOW”) (07/05/2012)
3. Contracting scandal.  (Google “Red Flags - Stranger”) (Google “Auditor Report 1005180”)
4. Board cut public input.   (4-3, Carr, DeBell, McLaren, Smith-Blum voted yes) (03/07/2012)
5. Board brought back commercial advertising.  (7-0; terms expire 2013 or 2015: Carr ‘15, DeBell ’13, Martin-Morris ‘15, McLaren ‘15, Patu ‘13, Peaslee ‘15, Smith-Blum ‘13) (06/20/2012)

Vote to RENEW the expiring Capital Levy to create safe and healthy schools for our kids.  More than 7,000 children will be entering our public schools; we must act now to prepare for the future. 

• Schools are being built and remodeled to provide safety improvements, accommodate growing populations and with flexible designs for different programs. 
• Every project in the expiring Capital Levy was completed on time and within budget.  

Vote YES on Proposition 2.

Statement submitted by: Steve Mullin, Tre Maxie and Carrie Kazala; info@schoolsfirstseattle.org

Levy’s stealth harm:

1. District took fright at openly asking voters to fund the debt of new administrative headquarters.  Instead, District discussed siphoning off “expected levy underspend” to pay headquarters debt.  (Background: Google “$50 million Glass Elephant – Weekly”)
2. Behind Arbor Heights’ expansion lurks Director McLaren’s prior proposal to close nearby Roxhill.
3. District discussed supplying “infrastructure” for non-education commercial advertising scoreboards. 

This levy harms schools too much. Please vote NO.

Statement submitted by: Chris Jackins; 206-467-3139

Full text of resolution

Simple Majority (Washington Constitution, article VII, section 2(a))