I grew up with lots of family members who were teachers, so I’m usually supportive of school issues. But this year the Lake Washington School District is asking local families for an excessive tax increase. Here we are five years into a recession and they propose a 30 percent increase in the capitol improvements levy (Proposition 2). Thirty percent increases in anything is excessive when many families are still struggling with unemployment or underemployment, small businesses are just trying to survive and seniors are watching their fixed income buying power shrink. On top of that, they then propose an entirely new property tax totaling $755 million that families and local businesses will be paying for the next 28 years (Proposition 3). One reason that one is too high is because our district tears down schools that other, more fiscally prudent districts would economically remodel. Not only does that cost us more, it also forfeits state matching funds that remodeling receives. Send the district a message by voting to reject Propositions 2 and 3. They need to give taxpayers better, less expensive options we can afford.

Eric Rohrbach, Redmond