PENINSULA DAILY NEWS AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
North Olympic Peninsula educators had mixed feelings Thursday about Gov. Gary Locke’s proposed $1 billion tax increase to pour money into education from preschool through college.
The money would come from a 1 cent boost to the sales tax.
If approved by the Legislature — unlikely in an election year — the tax increase would go before voters in November.
Supporters of the measure estimate the increase would cost $30 to $60 per household per year.
If lawmakers balk, the League of Education Voters — the group behind the proposal for an education trust fund — would likely mount an initiative campaign.
Some area education leaders saw the proposal as a positive step in funding schools, while others said it wasn’t likely state lawmakers or residents would support the bill.
“I don’t foresee the Legislature or voters in Washington to be supportive of any new taxes right now,” said Sequim School District Superintendent Garn Christensen.
Voters in Sequim did not support a $5.4 million maintenance and operations replacement levy earlier this week.
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The rest of the story appears in the Friday/Saturday Peninsula Daily News.
