Back to school time is a magical blend of excitement, opportunity and optimism. As the parent of an incoming kindergartner, my own feelings of hope were palpable this year, but tinged bittersweet by the dramatic cuts school districts have been forced to make as a result of recent state budget deficits. Over the past few years, Seattle has cut summer school, counselors, nurses, and unfortunately, much more. In good years, the state has ignored its "paramount duty," its constitutional responsibility to fully fund "basic education." We all know that we've seen anything but good years of late, and state budget deficits have been closed largely on the backs of kids and the poor. Our education system has taken billions of dollars in cuts over the past three years – that's with a "b" – and there is another budget deficit on the horizon.
Unfortunately, given the passage of Initiative 1053 in November 2010, the only tool for state lawmakers under these circumstances is the budget axe. This is because I-1053 requires super-majority votes to raise revenues or close tax loopholes.
Some folks have asked why the League of Education Voters is involved in the lawsuit against this initiative. LEV is challenging the constitutionality of I-1053 because it hamstrings the ability of our elected officials to uphold their paramount duty to invest in the quality public schools our children need to succeed in life. Even to close outdated tax loopholes, I-1053 requires a two-thirds vote. But the constitution sets the rules for the legislature, and it requires a simple majority to raise taxes or close loopholes. As long as I-1053 goes unchallenged, a minority of legislators can block the will of the majority.
In other words, solutions to the budget crisis can be held up by a minority in the legislature. In fact, that's exactly what happened last session. One bill in the House (SHB 2078) would have eliminated a tax break for large out-of-state banks in order to fund K-3 class size reductions, which were approved by voters via Initiative 728. The bill failed to pass the House, even though it received a majority of 52 out of 98 votes. If 2078 had been about bullying, teacher preparation or reading programs, it would have passed with those 52 votes. The fact that it was about how to pay for some of those programs shouldn't change that fact.
When it comes to budget cuts to education, we aren't alone. In fact, according to the Center on Education Policy, 70 percent of school districts nationwide experienced cuts this past year, and 84 percent expect cuts for the new school year. As a nation, we're divesting at exactly the moment we should be doubling down on education. It wasn't long ago that we led the world in educational attainment. Sadly, that accomplishment has eroded under a crumbling infrastructure built on arrogance, hubris and misdirected priorities. Our kids stand to be the first generation of Americans who are less well educated than their parents – not the kind of legacy I want for my son, and certainly not a recipe for job creation and economic stability. If you doubt the value of education in this economy, take a look at the latest jobs report issued at the end of August. Unemployment rates for high school dropouts hover around 14 percent, while about 4 percent of those with a bachelor's degree are unemployed.
Education matters. Washington's state constitution makes it clear that it matters most – that's why it's the paramount duty of the state. The constitution is also clear that votes in the legislature related to raising revenue require a simple majority. Or at least we – and some pretty smart lawyers – believe that's how it reads.
If legislators and voters in Washington want to change the constitution, there's a process for that. It requires more than a simple majority of the people – which is how we got here. As an organization, we've asked voters to support education funding initiatives several times. It's how we won the funds for class size reduction and changed the rules for passing your local levies to require a simple majority. We take the will of the people seriously. We also believe in playing by the rules. Where I-1053 is involved, it seems to us that some rules were bypassed and voters may have been misled that their votes could change a process they couldn't by a simple majority vote alone. Either way, it's time we find out.
Chris Korsmo is the Chief Executive Officer of the League of Education Voters.
