Con statement (Capital Levy)

The following was submitted as the con statement regarding the February 2022 Everett SD Capital Levy for the voters' pamphlet.

The Everett SD has two elementary schools in need of repair. However, the ESD used funds meant for construction of school buildings to build the administration building, paid in full, and without voter approval. It still has that new-building smell, is warm and cozy, has underground gated VIP parking, and advanced technology built in.

During COVID closures last year, ESD administrators and school board members worked from home using their taxpayer funded computers. The school board even won a major award with a plaque and everything.

So how about the following – administrators and board members need to pack their file cabinets and take their keisters out of the building. They are taking up valuable space. The admin building can then be converted to a new elementary school. Or it and the land under it can be given back to the Coast Salish people as a tangible gesture as opposed to the board’s meaningless reading of a land acknowledgment paragraph at every board meeting.

Then the capital levy price tag needs to be reduced by $100M. The technology portion needs to be separated from the General Fund to ensure it doesn’t go to bloated salaries. A clause needs to be added to all levies that any project overestimates need to be returned to taxpayers. Then, and only then, with a new smaller levy proposal, hardworking Everett taxpayers can vote in the affirmative and can be proud of where their tax dollars are going.

Janelle Burke
Jeannie Magdua
Jeff Heckathorn