Dear Neighbors,
Greetings from Olympia! As the newly appointed representative for the 48th Legislative District, I am proud to serve as your voice in our state government!
Before being appointed to the 48th District seat by the King County Council, I served on the Bellevue City Council. It was an honor to serve the city of Bellevue, and I am so grateful for this new opportunity to represent the entire district and advocate for our vibrant, innovative and diverse community.
I know that there are many challenges facing the Legislature this session, and I look forward to the opportunities these challenges present to make positive, important changes.
The time has come for the Legislature to make the hard decisions necessary to fully fund basic education as required by the state Constitution. But that is not the only issue we need to focus on this year; we also need to continue looking out for all people in Washington state.
I believe that good government is about removing obstacles and providing opportunities for people to succeed. The Legislature is truly the people’s branch, and I look forward to working hard for you – for our children, our families, and our neighbors in urban and rural areas – to ensure that our shared values as Washingtonians are upheld.
Giving all kids great opportunities
While the Legislature has made significant progress in recent years with increasing education funding – nearly $5 billion in new investments since 2011 – the state still has more work to do to keep our promise to fully fund public schools.
The bipartisan Education Funding Task Force, created by the Legislature last April, was supposed to provide specific, tangible recommendations to the Legislature by January 9th to address these problems. House and Senate Democrats put forth a proposal that pays public school teachers fairly, ends the reliance on local levies, and creates new accounting requirements to ensure education will be fully funded for the next generation. You can read a summary of the proposed solutions here.
Large budget cuts were made across the state during the Great Recession. In an effort to mitigate the negative impacts to schools from the recession, the Legislature implemented temporary measures that allowed local districts to make up for funding shortfalls. Those measures are set to expire unless we act this session. This issue is commonly referred to in Olympia as the “Levy Cliff.”
The bottom line: local school districts across the state will soon be creating their budgets for the 2017-18 school year and unless the Legislature passes HB 1059, districts will be forced to make painful budget cuts. Washington schools will lose nearly $500 million unless lawmakers act soon. Teachers will receive layoff notices and crowded classrooms will become even larger.
It’s the state’s job to fully fund basic education. Passage of HB 1059 is a critical part of keeping the promise lawmakers made to families that we would fully fund public schools. When the state finally steps up and fully funds education, measures like the levy cliff bill will not be necessary. But in the meantime, this bill is essentially an insurance policy to make sure schools can plan their budgets for the upcoming school year. Lawmakers shouldn’t gamble with our kids’ education.
This bill will be considered in the House today. A similar version of this bill passed the House 91-7 last year. This isn’t a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. This is about kids and ensuring every child receives opportunities to learn.
Dr. King reminds us to walk together
Last Monday, we celebrated the deeds and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and were reminded that there is always hope. The recent arson at the Islamic Center of the Eastside could have divided our community. Instead, in the spirit of Dr. King, I was inspired to see our community come together in support of one another.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any thoughts, questions or comments. I also encourage you to schedule a visit! It’s the highlight of my day when groups of constituents stop by to talk about issues they care about. If you ever plan on coming down to the Capitol, feel free to contact my office to set up a meeting. Finally, be sure to keep an eye out for more e-newsletters, where I’ll keep you updated on the work happening in Olympia!
Sincerely,
Rep. Vandana Slatter