A
year and a half ago the Washington State Supreme Court clarified “paramount
duty” as the state’s “first and highest priority.” That duty is to amply fund
education for all children living in Washington.
Our
courts concluded “ample” means “considerably more than just adequate or merely
sufficient,” and the supreme court went on to rule that the state consistently
falls short of even the lower bar. In its McCleary decision, the high court
ruled the state must fully fund “basic education” with “stable and dependable
state sources.”
Senate
Bill 5939 is a revenue-reducing effort; its stated purpose is to provide tax
relief to select individuals. It is a distraction from your first and highest
priority and passage of it will hinder your ability to comply with the court
and fund our schools, and more importantly fulfill your promises to over a
million children.
