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The purpose of this project is to analyze the issue of funding for public schools in Washington State in light of homeowners verses non homeowners. At first glance, funding of public schools does not appear to have any connection to housing, and that the quality of schools and their distance to where people live is what really matters. But in Washington state the funding for public schools comes from State and Federal funding, local property taxes, with state support and local property taxes are several times that of federal support. The following table from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction contains a breakdown for the 1995-1996 school year in millions of dollars as a sample of the funding publics schools receive in this state.
At first glance, the contribution made by property taxes was minimal compared to that of state funding. But the figures shown are in millions of dollors so the property tax contribution is quite heavy when one interprets it as seven hundred sixty five million dollars as opposed to 14.1 percent of the total income. In recent years, this source of financing has become a political hotpoint as well as potential dividing line between race and wealth. In 2003, ten initiatives were submitted that attempted to rearrange the structure of funding for public schools in Washington state and/or shift control of funding, an example of these is initiative 808 which proposed establishing a new system of finance for public school district which would be managed by the principals of each school in the district. While most initiatives have been well intentioned, several do not consider the dynamics of Washington state and the ability of the communities within it to adapt to these measures. The most important dynamic being the focus of wealth and the range of homeownership. For some of the poorer and less affluent areas within the cities of this state, homeownership is a slightly uncommon occurance and it is within these areas that the issue of funding public schools and housing are mixed together. The current usage of levies dictates that school districts decide what is needed and sends a levy to the voters of that district to decide if it should be passed. Currently this system suffices for most of the School districts in Washington state, but there are several flaws that are contested each time a levy is proposed. The future for the school districts of Washington State are tied greatly to the fate of the levy system and property taxes. With the currently fluctuating economy, how much people pay for their homes is of critical concern to people living in Washington and those to come. To simplify the matter, schools can recieve more income through levies and not wait for state and federal funding. This income comes from land owners who pay property taxes that fund this income. Many land owners develope their land into housing and affect the housing market. Being one of the border states, having a large port, and housing several powerful companies and military bases have all contributed to bestowing a high standard of living opon Washington State Residents. As such, the ability of such people to own and maintain a homeand the land it stands upon is made that much more harder. |
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