North Thurston's levy failure: projected consequences

The recent defeat of North Thurston's maintenance and operations levy may mean stiff cuts in personnel and services, The Olympian reports.

Levy money represents 16 percent of the district's budget, and without that money, the district will have to cut $17.5 million in programs and staff, said Shawn Lewis, assistant superintendent of administrative services.

That would mean cutting 77 teachers and other certified staff members and 100 classified and administrative staff members, such as secretaries and principals, he said.

The district also would have to cut extracurricular programs and eliminate or consolidate programs that aren't required by the state.

Construction of the elementary school set to open in the Horizon Pointe neighborhood in fall 2009 likely would be delayed, Lewis said.

The district will have meetings in March, at which people can list their priorities of what programs should be saved or eliminated.

The other option on the table is a second levy at a lower rate in May, which would still require some cuts, just not as deep.

Wouldn't it be grand if every "no" voter would call their legislator, pressuring them to change our state's inequitable funding structure?