LWSD votes to reject I-1033

The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) board voted unanimously, 4-0, to reject Initiative 1033, which places limits on revenues for state and local governments, at Monday’s board meeting at the Lake Washington Resource Center.

Board member Nancy Bernard was not present so she did not vote.

Board President Jackie Pendergrass noted that the main reason for opposing I-1033 was “its financial impact on our district in particular and public schools in general.”

The Office of Financial Management estimates the initiative’s impact translates into a reduction of $5.9 billion in state revenue by 2015.

K-12 education funding currently represents 41 percent of the state budget, thus I-1033 would have a significant impact on k-12 funding, according to Kathryn Reith, LWSD director of communications.

“I-1033 would also prevent the state from making new investments in education as outlined in the basic education reform bill signed into law last spring,” Reith said. “It would undermine the state efforts to fully fund basic education.”