Winners vs. victims
Interesting that the Strib chose yesterday to refer to districts with approved levies as “winners,” and those without as “losers.” Wouldn’t voters who massed together to vote for no tax increases also be winners?
My district passed a more than $14 million tax bill for mostly non-education related spending. Yesterday, the county gave its support for spending what will likely be at least $22 million on a new jail. I could be wrong, but I’m betting that taxpayers like myself who can ill afford these higher bills don’t feel much like winners.
Continuing that theme, at least one failed school levy was attributed not to voters exercising their democratic muscles, but to the presence of a “consultant” and “race baiting.” Similarily, in Oregon a failed SCHIP style “universal health care” measure was attributed to Big Tobacco’s influence.
Related, school funding advocates are already lobbying for the state to correct the will of voters:
“And what of the students in the districts where the stars weren’t aligned,”