Legislators meet with 36th District principals

Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-Queen Anne), Rep. Gael Tarleton (D-Ballard) and Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Belltown) met up with two principals from the 36th District -- Keven Wynkoop of Ballard High School and Erika Ayer from Daniel Bagley Elementary School -- to talk about the importance of fully funding basic education.

"Principal Ayer and I were happy to meet with Representatives Carlyle and Tarleton and Senator Kohl-Welles and are confident that they are fighting to fully fund all the education reforms that the Legislature has put in place recently in a way that benefits our students," Wynkoop said.

As we've talked about before, the Washington State Legislature has a hefty task before it: Meeting its state constitution's requirement to fully fund K-12 education, as required by the Supreme Court's McCleary decision last year. It's a $1.1 billion bill they're looking at, which with other items will make for a whopping total of $2 billion in debt that the Legislature has to make up.

Add to that the fact that the Supreme Court overturned the 2/3 majority rule required for the Legislature to raise any taxes, and you have yourself an interesting conversation.

And if you missed it, funding education was a huge concern at last weekend's 36th District townhall event.

Zachariah Bryan can be reached a zachb@robinsonnews.com

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