Mayor Bruce Harrell has not, to this moment, made education a hallmark of his tenure leading City Hall. But he is now pushing for an ambitious expansion to youth and education programs funded by Seattle taxpayers through a levy on the ballot in November.
Its aim is worthy: creating a $1.3 billion fund that would help young people from infancy through young adulthood. It includes more subsidized child care, more free preschool, more mental health services for K-12 students (and beyond) and more free college tuition for graduates of Seattle Public Schools.
“It’s an aggressive expansion,” the mayor acknowledged. “I’m not afraid of that word.”
Neither is this editorial board, which has long advocated for robust education funding and recommends passing the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy, despite some concerns. During a time of economic contraction, when local corporations are laying off workers every month, the mayor’s push to double the spending level voters approved just seven years ago warrants a pause for serious reflection.
Merely renewing the $619 million levy passed in 2018 would cost about $780 million, due to inflation, Harrell says. He is going well beyond that, boldly asking for an additional $550 million to fund new apprenticeship programs in the trades and boost support for early learning — including raises for 5,000 child care providers. As Harrell rightly notes, kids can’t wait for the state Legislature to fully fund education in some mythical future. They need help now.
“This is when you invest,” Harrell told the editorial board, acknowledging the tough economic climate. “We’re saying, bring your kids here. This is a family-friendly city.”
He is less convincing when confronted with the weight his levy would place on Seattle property owners. Only seven months ago, voters agreed to foot the bill for two levies floated by Seattle Public Schools for $2.5 billion. Between those funds and the mayor’s, which will add about $400 to the median property tax bill, most homeowners can expect to shell out at least $800 more each year.
Don’t assume that renters skate by unscathed, since landlords will surely pass those costs on to tenants. This, in a city already ranked as one of the least affordable in the country.
In that light, some of the projections shaping the mayor’s proposal raise questions. For instance, he is asking to cover 600 more children in Seattle’s free preschool program, though there is no waiting list indicating that level of demand.
Along the same lines, this levy, which was developed in consultation with Seattle Public Schools, would collect $46.6 million for safety improvements without delineating exactly how that money will be spent. The aim is to be flexible enough to meet the needs of different school communities, Harrell told the editorial board.
About those communities: The city’s education levy operates like a competitive grant. Individual schools apply for the money. But last time, by design, only 30 of Seattle’s 105 schools — those serving more low-income students — received direct funding. That means homeowners living in affluent neighborhoods may never see the new money in their own schools, though all Seattle students are eligible for free tuition at the city’s two-year colleges.
This is the essence of creating a collective for the common good. It means supporting kids you may never know. A noble pursuit, certainly. But one that should prompt thoughtful deliberation on the part of every voter.
