As proud grandparents of students in the Lake Washington School District, we want to encourage voters to support the passage of the Feb. 13 bond and levies measures. They’re designed to support student learning and reduce overcrowding while reducing our tax rate.

LWSD is one of the state’s fastest growing and the growth is projected to continue. We’ve seen firsthand how this has impacted students: The district is using a lot of portables, which aren’t meant to be a long-term solution.

Proposition 1, also known as the Education Programs and Operation Levy, funds needed programs and operations that are not funded by the state. The EP&O levy is a replacement to an expiring levy and it will decrease the tax rate for taxpayers.

Proposition 2, also known as the Capital Projects Levy, funds facility, safety and technology needs that are not funded by the state. The Capital Projects Levy is a replacement to an expiring levy that will maintain the same tax rate.

Proposition 3, also known as the Bond to Reduce Overcrowding and Enhance Student Learning Environments, does just what it says.

In researching the proposal, we learned that the bond and capital levy maintain the current tax rate, while the educational programs and operations levy actually lowers the local tax rate. And, to be very clear, the bond and levies fund critical education needs that are not covered by state funding, including paying for existing staff, current programs and desperately needed facilities. You can learn more at www.lwsd.org.

And, if you’re a senior citizen, you may qualify for a tax exemption from $35,000 to $40,000. This applies to property owners age 61 and older, or those who are retired due to a service or job-related disability. You can learn more by calling the King County Assessor’s Office at (206) 296-7300.

Please join us in voting yes to all three measures by Feb. 13.

Santos and Sue Contreras,

Kirkland