BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 119 - Proposition No. 11 · Clark County

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Statement For · Sabrena Worthy

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Committee: Terry Dotson, Chair

Great communities invest in children. We all benefit from being part of an educated, productive society. We all struggle when we aren’t. If you need medical attention, you want your doctor to be able to diagnose and treat you. When a pipe bursts at your house, you need a good plumber to fix it. A competent workforce benefits you and your family. But it doesn’t happen without strong public schools. More education = less crime, higher property values Educated workers aren’t the only reason to support local funding. Research shows that investing in public schools reduces adult crimes. Students at better-funded schools were 15% less likely to be arrested by age 30. Education also provides a return on investment for property values. A study found that every $1 a community spends on public schools increases home values by $20. An appreciating asset means better long-term financial stability for you and your family. Local dollars = local control The proposed levy is a direct response to local input. The district listened to community priorities. It responded to calls for lowering the amount. If this levy fails, the district is at risk of undergoing financial oversight, giving the state control over all financial decisions. Who is best suited to decide what happens in Battle Ground? You deserve the best place to live, and students deserve the best public schools. Vote yes for our youth, yes for local control, yes for less crime and yes for a thriving community.

Rebuttal of argument against

Yes, a good education system costs money. The board heard the community and lowered the amount while still planning to put resources toward what people said they value most. State law requires levy dollars to be placed in the general fund, where they are audited. Opponents admit schools face $20 million in unfunded mandates. Cutting local funds won’t fix that; it only threatens school safety, academic support, special education and extracurricular activities. Vote yes!

Statement Against · Richard Rylander, Chair

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Committee: Richard Rylander, Chair

The levy has failed 3 times in the last 2 years. This is the fourth attempt. The district has cut programs and staff and says they will need to cut more if this levy doesn’t pass. They say there are over $20 million in un/under funded mandates. The Board considered four different levy options and choose #2. This will collect $116,145,000 over 3 years. The last failure had asked for $189,510,000. There was one lower cost option not chosen. Test scores haven’t improved. Student headcount and FTE’s appears to show some decline in the last two years? Fewer students means less money from the state. We also pay school property taxes to the state as well as a Capital Levy (which runs out in 2027). What will this cost you? If your home has an assessed value of $650,000 it will cost you about $1,144 per year or $95.33 per month. Local and State school related taxes are 48-50% of total taxes. The state average spend per student is nearing $20,000. We need a good education system and that costs money. The question is how much money and what you can afford. The district asks you to trust their spending choices. Public suggestions included being specific about how and where the money would be spent. Unfortunately the levy language says all the money will go into the general fund. How will the district show how their spending improved outcomes? A detailed article will be available at www.swweducation.org.

Rebuttal of argument for

If you have the money to give the levy might make sense. Do you need to make trade-offs? Do you need to pay your rent, buy groceries, put gas in the car and buy a new pair of shoes once in a while? What’s the best use of your limited funds? The state already tells school districts what to do. Do you want schools to live within their means like you need to?