The 2009 legislative session ended on April 26.  Governor Gregoire and her majority party leaders are calling for a special session to pass a handful of unsuccessful bills from the 105-day regular session.

I am joining my fellow Republicans in opposing a special session.  Among the bills the governor and majority party want to pass is a measure that would cut levy equalization funding by $60 million to a vast majority of school districts, giving more taxing authority to property-rich districts to raise local property taxes.  House Bill 1776, which I oppose, would cut funding for around 220 school districts across our state, including cuts to:

Kennewick School District = $2.122 million
Richland School District = Over $1 million
Kiona Benton School District = $267,000
Prosser School District = $467,000

I've included an attachment in Excel that shows all the cuts from around the state.

The bill would also move our education funding approach in the wrong direction, shifting responsibility from the state onto local districts and their taxpayers.

The proposal is like a reverse Robin Hood scenario with money being taken from small, property poor school districts and given to larger, property rich districts.  Ranking Republican on the House Education Committee, Rep. Skip Priest, summed this legislation up best when he said:

"The debate is not just about poor and rural school districts.  There are districts around the state, from Federal Way to Prosser and Brewster to Spokane, that have large populations, but don't have the Bellevue Square or South Center Mall to pay the property tax tab for school levies.  Our duty as lawmakers is to provide ample and uniform funding so every student has an opportunity to be successful.  It should be our first priority.  Instead, the last bill on the table this session was a measure to cut levy equalization, which will pit property-rich locations against property-poor areas of the state.  Instead of talking about what we can do to help our schools, we're talking about balancing the state budget on the backs of our teachers and children."

I need your help.  Please consider contacting the lawmakers below to express your concerns about calling a special session to pass House Bill 1776:

Governor Chris Gregoire (360) 902-4111 http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp
Speaker of the House Frank Chopp (360) 786-7920 chopp.frank@leg.wa.gov
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (360) 786-7604 brown.lisa@leg.wa.gov

In closing, I would like to point out that a special session would cost taxpayers $18,300 per day.  I also do not feel there is any legislation so urgent that it cannot wait until our next session in January 2010.  If a special session is not called, then House Bill 1776 cannot be passed this year.  However, it may be brought up again for consideration next session.

Please contact me at my district office at (509) 372-7997 if you have any questions, concerns or feedback.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,


Larry Haler
State Representative, 8th District