A reminder that the deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 8 to return your ballot for the Edmonds School District levy now before voters.
According to district staff, the proposed levy aims to bridge the gap and cover costs for staff and programs at all schools that are not fully funded by state or federal dollars. Superintendent Gustavo Balderas said the levy is the second-largest revenue source for the district and makes up about 15% of the budgeted general fund. If approved, it would renew funding for four years, through 2026. The measure would renew the expiring levy of $1.49 per $1,000 of assessed property value that voters approved in 2018.
The replacement levy requires a simple majority for passage.
Most ballot drop boxes will be open to receive voted ballots. Check the list to make sure the box you plan to use is open. Drop box locations can be found at www.snoco.org/elections, as well as printed in the local voters’ pamphlet.
Additionally, voters can return their ballots by mail through the U.S. Postal Service. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Feb. 8. Check the last collection time on the box if mailing on Election Day.
Voters can also vote in person until 8 p.m. on Election Night, Tuesday, Feb. 8 at the Auditor’s office or at an accessible voting site during specific hours.
Snohomish County Elections has accessible voting equipment for voters with disabilities and offers last-minute voter registration and ballot issuance at the following sites during the hours listed:
| Location | Dates and Hours of Operation |
| Alderwood Water and Wastewater District 3626 156th St SW Lynnwood, WA 98087Wyndham Garden Hotel 16710 Smokey Point Blvd Arlington, WA 98223 |
Monday, Feb. 7 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8 – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Snohomish County Auditor’s Office 1st Floor Admin W 3000 Rockefeller Ave Everett, WA 98201 |
Monday through Friday – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8 – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
Voters who need in-person service will be required to maintain social distance and wear face coverings in compliance with federal, state, and local guidelines. Voters are encouraged to utilize online resources at www.votewa.gov and www.snoco.org/elections.
If you did not receive the local voters’ pamphlet, a PDF version is available at www.snoco.org/elections under Current Election, See What’s on the Ballot. An online guide specific to your ballot can be found by logging into your voter portal at www.votewa.gov.
My ballot has been turned in and I voted YES to support our kids, teachers and school staff. A good education is the basis for lifelong success in whatever field a person goes into whether they go on to a college or university, a trade school or into a vocation where they learn on the job. I will always vote yes to fund our schools.
A reminder to every homeowner in the Edmonds School District area, please turn in your ballot and vote “NO” as I and many of my neighbors have done. This levy is not to support the core educational programs at the district but is for extra-curricular activities and nurses as the district mailer indicates. In the midst of the pandemic, historic inflation increases, and the crushing tax property tax burden that every homeowner will see when you soon will receive your 2021 Snohomish tax assessment notice, this is a time for the district officials to prioritize spending and not assume that the citizens will pass this “replacement” levy, it is a tax that will raise your property tax bill due to the dramatic increase in assessed home values in Snohomish County.
I voted no as a general property tax protest and my wife voted yes for the good of the kids, so no blaming the Wright household for whatever happens with this. Actually, if the majority of people vote for taking care of the kids, I’m happy to live with it. If the levy goes down, consider it a word to the wise that the people have had enough of taxing one of their major necessities of life to death for the so called greater good. Maybe it’s time for the people actually producing the kids to pay more of the total bill for their education rather than treating the schools and teachers as a giant baby sitting facility, so they are free to work two jobs just to survive and maybe have a little extra. Food for thought anyway.
My lady tells me my comment above is somewhat confusing and self contradictory to a certain extent. She is usually right.
I guess I was trying to say that we expect too much from the schools and often require the wrong people to pay for them. For example, when I was young, my father worked and my mother took care of us kids, even to the point of schooling us when she noticed we weren’t understanding some of our lessons. (She had been a school teacher prior to marriage).
In the modern era our economy had to literally shut down when the schools had to shut down due to the Pandemic, because no one was available to manage all the kids in an economy where both parents are obligated or choose to work. Both parents are working to either afford an overpriced car and home or, in the cases of poorer people, just to survive. This impacts the schools and our expectations for what they provide the society.
My other point is we tax the wrong people too much for the schools. Taxing home and vehicle values seems to be the answer to every need Washington residents have as a society. Jeff Bezos just offered to give Everett school district the money for no charge kindergarten for all. Why isn’t he required to do that by adequate taxation of his enormous wealth. Melinda Gates just pulled over 4 Billion from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to give other “worthy” causes some of the windfall. What could 4 Billion do for our schools and why isn’t this money subject to taxation for our schools? Reasonable questions, I think.
Clint, some good points. Here are some basic data. 1m kids in K-1 2 with some of the K’s not full time. But for sake of discussion lets say for now all Ks are full time. The current cost (basic, extra local funding, and buildings) for 1m kids is about $20B or $1.5B per grade level. The stated educational goals are for adding preschool for all.
And some are discussing free (public supported) 2yrs beyond high school. Level those out for the moment.
Preschool for all will effectively add 2 grade levels (3 and 4yr olds) and that will add $3B to the bill. That would wipeout MGs 4B in no time. Bezos’ wealth would last a bit longer but frankly I would like Melinda French Gates, Mr. Bezos and his former wife be more directed on how they support education and education reform, and not just toss it in the current pot.
Your basic statement about parents and others above is completely accurate. Most adults took the time and could help kids become better educated in order to better function as adults.
We need to fully exam what we want from our education system, how do were sort out the best way to do that, and how do we pay for it. 295 seperate school districts for the State while it may sound nice to have “local” control may not be the most cost-effective model.
To improve outcomes, we likely will need to get serious about creating a plan for every kid and holding someone accountable for each plan and incentivize those that insure each plan is achieved.
So good points Clint. We just need to sort out how best to move forward.
Before we pine too much for the good old days, it would be wise to recall some facts. I don’t know your mother’s situation, Clint, but in the past many women had to give up their careers when they got married. I know you are an intelligent person. Your mom must have been a good teacher. Lots of women want to be mothers and also have careers. As a society we need to move on from the stereotype of the mother/homemaker and father/breadwinner. Of course at the same time we must not denegrate those who choose to follow this format.
I will take Darrol’s figures. I don’t have any reason to doubt them. What we expect from our schools today would take longer to detail here than the words allowed. Our government has to ensure that parents have access to adequate and affordable child care, K-12, and community college education. The cost to sociey for citizens who are not productive members is far greater than the cost of education.
I agree that our present tax system (property, income, sales) is unfair. There are others who disagree with me especially regarding income tax. So what is to be done? I could say, fix it! What good does that do? I honestly have no idea how to fix it except by voting and making my opinion known to my governmental representatives. All of mine agree and vote in ways that I approve.
So do I take this impasse out on the students and teachers in my district? This makes no sense to me. It appears to me to hurt people who do not cause the problem.
There is still time for you to change your vote, Clint!
Mike, my vote already doesn’t count. It’s already been canceled by a known yes vote. You and Darrol make excellent points regarding the current situation for children, teachers, and everyone else in the country. I would ask you both, why we should continue to let extreme, almost obscene, wealth in this country go untouched? Since Bill Clinton, the Democratic Party has been Republican Party Light (that’s why the R’s hate the Clintons; they stole and implemented all their half baked ideas) and the Democrats are not going to fix anything either.
My point is that this will not change until the middle class just refuses to keep paying most of the freight. Our political system is not going to do it, or it would already have been done by now. Think about one human being having total control over 2B in wealth. Jeff Bezos has a 5M dollar yacht that’s so big he is having trouble finding a place to park it. Talk about the trappings of virtually useless wealth.
We lesser well healed folks will keep paying the freight as long as we are able and willing to. You can help the kids your way and I’ll try to help them mine. I’d like to see a world where the rich routinely paid their fair share and poor kids could again afford to work their way thru college and buy a home when they got that first good job. That world is gone for all but the children of privlege and we have allowed it to happen and even promoted it. Shame on us. Our kids are the victims of our unregulated corporate greed; enabled by both sides of the political spectrum. .
60% yes, 40% no. Good for the kids!