In a decision that should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, King County Superior Court Judge John Erlick ruled today that the state has failed to meet its “paramount duty” to make “ample provision for the education of all children,” as required by Washington’s Constitution, and ordered the state to provide stable and dependable funding to do so.
In response, Gov. Gregoire issued the following statement:
“Improving the quality of our schools and the education system has been, and remains, the top priority of our state. I agree with the court that we have a duty to provide a high quality education to our children.
Working with my staff and the Attorney General’s Office, I will be reviewing this decision to determine where we go from here.
Last year we passed significant legislation that would institute major funding reforms to ensure the necessary resources and programs to help every student succeed. That work must continue.
Regardless of whether this decision is upheld, I will continue working with the legislature to improve school accountability, close the achievement gap and ensure we provide our children opportunities for success in the global marketplace in which they will be competing. The legislative process is the best avenue we have available to determine those components.
Right now there is legislation being considered that would reform our education system. In light of this decision, I think it’s even more important that we pass these proposals that will put us in a better position to improve educational opportunities for every student in our state.”
To which I say: Show me the money!
That was always my problem with last year’s education reform package. It promised improvements that would cost an extra billion dollars or so by 2018, but it never actually provided the funding mechanism to make it happen. Meanwhile, school funding has been substantially slashed in the here and now.
The truth is, education reform without tax structure reform is a hollow promise, and we’ll never be able to sustainably fund K-12 and higher education until we move to a fairer and more adequate tax system. Everything else is just talk.
Goldy, you are 100% correct.
Yup, good post!
Translation… how more can we squeeze the rich with more taxes.
Just think Goldy keep pushing for higher taxes and WA State could become just like NJ and it’s issues.
Puddy has provided multiple links on the CA wealth outflux over the last few years. If you are too lazy to search for the CA links, ask the HA arschloch ylb arschloch and he’ll gladly supply those PuddyLinks!
Puddy @3,
If you earn under $20,000 a year, you live in the highest taxed state in the union; if you earn over $200,000 a year, you live in one of the lowest.
Obviously, that’s okay with you.
@4…..solution: tax everyone at same rate.
we all get one vote, so we should all get one tax rate. now that is true taxation with representation.
Goldy, nothing on CA and NJ wealth flight?
Flat tax?
Figgers.
@3
Fuck ya! The rich aren’t paying their share and their looking down at the rest of us while they do it. “Get a job!” Fuck you buddy, I’ve already got two.
CA’s problems have a lot of sources and probably start with their stupid property tax laws.
@6
Nice try at changing the subject, btw.
Michael?
Did you so quickly forget post #3 where Puddy put forth that which you decide to attack in #8?
What’s wrong with a flat tax Michael?
Foolish Michael. Went back to Steve’s™ Stupid Solution® again? You can’t understand peeps leave when they think they are overtaxed? Why is that Michael? Too much information for that progressive mind?
Puddy
Do you understand that the state’s constitution is the basis for this decision? The only way for the state to comply with this decision (and appeals would only buy time as the court’s reasoning here is solid) is to raise taxes. We have to educate our children in a fair and equitable manner, regardless of which school they might attend. Constitutions trump all in our legal system, Puddy. You might not like that inconvenient reality, but such is so. Legislatures have tough jobs, and complying with this decision will be tough. Rightwing ranting about flat taxes is just a waste of time.
Raising taxes is the only resort Proud Leftist?
Pud,
If we had a way way flatter income distribution, a flat tax could be entertained. But we don’t.
Free market economic theory says nothing about the distribution of income or wealth (and with it-power). So tell you what, I’ll give you your flat tax if we can change some of the social constructs (laws)that act to distribute wealth upward.
Wealth flight? You can’t be serious.
11
We could let all our prisoners go and shut down the prisons. That would probably work. Do you like that option?
@9
Sorry Pud, but all you’re trying to do here is change the subject.
I don’t read most of your posts. Didn’t read the 1@ 3 and for the life of me can’t remember why I read the other ones.
I’m only a ‘progressive’ in the capitol P sense of the word and half them were Republicans.
The only hope for K-12 education is to get rid of the teachers unions and stop running schools at the National and State levels. Throwing more money at a failed system just makes it worse.
This isn’t directly relevant to schools, but it’s very relevant to WA tax pathology.
@15
How are you planning on paying the teachers, keeping the heat on in the schools and so on? ‘Oh and, if you did this the more urban areas might have the cash to pull it off, but the ex-urban and rural areas couldn’t.
@16
L&I is an insurance program. Where I work in isn’t real dangerous and the few claims that are made are quick, easy and cheap fixes. We have very few claims where I work. L&I isn’t a concern for us. Why should we pay for someone else’s dangerous behavior? Don’t want to pay high rates, do stupid shit that gets people hurt.
@3 “Translation… how more can we squeeze the rich with more taxes.”
Not nearly as much as the rich can whine about taxes they don’t pay.
Let’s see, the richest quintile of Washington households pay 3% of their income to state/local taxes while the poorest quintile pay 17% …
… no matter Washington is such a popular place for the rich to live and not pay taxes.
@5 Fine with me. Let’s see you do it.
@9 “What’s wrong with a flat tax Michael?”
Fine with me! I’m all for replacing the regressive sales tax and small business killing B & O tax with a flat-rate income tax. Let’s see you do it!
Oh, I see … puddy wants a head tax. His idea of a “flat tax” is not a flat-rate tax but everybody pays the same whether they make $10,000 or $1,000,000. What a piece of work puddy is.
@5..its not up to me….its up to the govt – they make the rules.
@11 “Raising taxes is the only resort Proud Leftist?”
No, of course not. We can dismantle government, empty the prisons, fire the cops and firefighters, close the schools, and live like people did in 1830. But who besides you would want to, you dork?
@12 Hell, let’s do it the way they did in the Middle Ages, when wealth got distributed upward by the wealthy taking from the peasants, then got redistributed back downward by highwaymen taking from the wealthy. With no government, and everyone armed with guns, wealth will equalize fairly quickly. Maybe if puddy gets robbed on every trip to the market for groceries he’ll start thinking having a government isn’t such a shabby idea after all.
@15 The only hope for you is a brain transplant.
why is it liberals always say we have to get rid of cops and fireman? Such BS. Do you think all our money goes to just that? How about paying for illegal aliens in our schools? Should we cut that?
I’m also interested in the 3% vs. 17%. Love ot see that link. Also, what’s wrong with working hard and getting ahead…..those living off the government….why didn’t they work harder with their free education to make a better life? Oh that’s right…..the government will take care of them.
First of all, your money that goes to cops and firefighters doesn’t go to the schools, so throwing out the illegals won’t keep cops on the street. Second, go look at lot of cities around (especially the smaller ones) and you may want to rephrase “Do you think all our money goes to just that?” line, as public safety takes up a lion’s share of many municipalities’ budgets.
16
That article in The Weekly is nonsense of the first order. I really can’t believe that The Weekly has become a rightwing rag, but it seems to have become just that. This state’s workers’ compensation program is remarkably cheap for employers, compared to that of other states. This piece is a piece of shit. In general, those who get injured on the job get screwed. This piece didn’t give their perspective.
Why is it that Puddy always disappears when confronted with a serious question? Is it because he is a storm trooper for the GOP, the Party of No?
Indeed, I would submit, that would be the case. Puddy is incapable of engaging in rational argument. He gets his cues from Rightwing Radio and if Rightwing Radio provides no responses, Puddy has no answers. So, he shuts up when he gets a question that Limbaugh hasn’t told him how to answer.
@10 Considering the last Republican occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania considered the US Constitution to be “a God-damned piece of paper”, Puddy and his fellow loons no doubt have a similar opinion of our state’s Constitution, or for that matter any document whose content they find inconvenient.
@12 Well, you’ve elucidated one of the winger mantras about public education, namely that it’s all the fault of “uppity teachers”. The other is that public schools in general are a failed experiment in social engineering and should be done away with. Gregoire’s kidding herself if she really doesn’t expect Rob McKenna to exploit this issue to promote one or both of those ideas.
While Rome Burns …
Puddy qvells over taxes.
Goldy qvells over taxes,
Kids get screwed!
On taxes …
Taxes are simply how we pay for common needs. If we do not pay our debts we will go bankrupt.
So .. to follow Puddy’s logic we should let the prisoners out to save tax money?
On unions and teachers ..
Barack Hussein Obama … the same demon Puddy paints with a hammer and sickle, is the FIRST president in my memory t stand up to the unions by appointing a Secty of Education who PROMOTES choice (charter schools) and quality (master teacher pay).
So where is Goldy in supporting Sect Duncan? Under Obama Admin rules, WA sate can not compete for DOE funds because we do not promote choice and teacher evaluation.
54% of the WA state Operating budget already goes to education.
Maybe it’s time for large corporations and the wealthy to start paying their fair share, as they benefit the most from an educated workforce.
@15
How are you planning on paying the teachers, keeping the heat on in the schools and so on?
Easy… Vouchers. If a school can’t run on 13k per pupil which is given at the local level than it doesn’t have a right to exist. By the way did you know that heating,busing, school lunch, building maintenance is paid for seperately and not counted in the per student average cost. The real amount maybe close to 16-18k per student. Public education is a rip off.
rodent said:
Let’s see, the richest quintile of Washington households pay 3% of their income to state/local taxes while the poorest quintile pay 17% …
That’s great incentive to NOT be in the lowest quintile! No income tax for this state! Never, never, EVER!!!
I want education to be our top priority! I want our military/defense to be our top priority! I want eliminating our debt to be our top priority! I want the expanded Medicare drug benefit the Republicans gave us! I want I want I want I want I want.
Now cut my taxes.
What is Proud Goatist babbling about? Puddy working on a 20 Meg WAR file without the JavaDocs. Puddy can’t be here waiting for Proud Goatist commentary here. Remember you claimed you didn’t read every PuddyMissive?
No that’s libtardo logic. Puddy thinks criminals should be locked up.
On unions and teachers .. Yeah Puddy knew you’d eventually get there.
Exactly!!! As long as we have expensive Defense boondoggles like Star Wars systems in Alaska that don’t work, supposedly protecting us against barely existing threats and ghastly recreational wars of choice waged by stupid, greedy right wing Republicans, then I’m sorry people with money have to pay for that crap. The poor and the middle class hasn’t had an inflation adjusted wage increase for 35 or so years – sorry we’re tapped out.
#38 But locking up criminals costs money. Wars costs money. The ever expanding military in general costs money. Homeland Security costs money. The Republican Medicare drug benefit costs money.
What exactly is it you DO want to cut? What is it that Reagan, HW Bush and W Bush didn’t cut, but YOU would? Everyone wants their shit (state and Federal) just the children don’t wan to pay for it. Like little kids with mommy at the store, grabbing for the candy bars, not understanding mommy has to pay for them.
At the Federal level, Obama proposed a “pay as you go” system. Great, NO more spending unless you cut something equal or raise equal taxes. Why didn’t the Republicans stand up for common sense fiscal responsibility? It would have meant no wars for Bush, no Medicare drug benefit, no Homeland Security….not all that stuff the Republicans did and didn’t pay for at the time.
Cuz’ everyone know what it’s for:
TO EXPOSE YOUR STUPID ASS (and those of your peeps) AS FOOLS!
It will be used for NO OTHER PURPOSE..
Now return to your stupid repetitive nonsense.
Hey silly wabbit – how is that state income tax thing working out for you guys?
BWAAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHHA
@42 Say, Chump, how’s that 17% tax rate working out for you?
Morons–
You are barkin’ up the wrong Tax Increase Tree.
83% Feel the deficit is caused by politicians unwillingness to cut spending.
http://www.rasmussenreports.co.....t_spending
With that kind of Public Sentiment, do you really believe any tax increase will pass without significant spending cuts first??
Bad luck to y’all!
Why do we equate availability of money with a quality education. There is, in fact, a well supported contrary public policy view: the more money you spend on education, the less well educated you become. One room schools, with very simple and inexpensive resources, educated millions in prior generations, who went on to become leaders in every sector of our world. Why not reconsider reading, writing and arithmetic taught to the tune of a hickory stick?
SJ spews:
Who gives a shit what he “promotes”. Obam-Mao “promotes” lots of bullshit…then does the opposite (like his SOU on dealing with the Deficit…then turning around a couple days later and proposing a massive $1.9 TRILLION Deficit.
SJ–“Promoting” = Bullshitting.
Where is the actual action??
Action means doing something—results??
Where is the meat???