Tuesday’s success of all eight maintenance and operations levies in Clark County left local educators and many parents in a state of exhilaration. The impact was overwhelmingly positive for the community. Here are a few high- and low-altitude observations about what happened in Tuesday’s elections:
Economic impact — When two ballot measures passed in Oregon earlier this month and taxes were increased for businesses and high-income Oregonians, speculation rose about companies relocating to this side of the Columbia River. No one attaches specifics to that speculation, but it’s safe to assume that any company leader thinking about relocating to Clark County before that election is contemplating that move even more seriously after the Oregon tax increases. That allure is even stronger now that the eight M&O school levies were approved here. Solid support of schools means a lot to businesses scouting new sites.
By contrast, look at what’s happening with Portland Public Schools, which, according to a recent Oregonian story, is considering “the likely closure of two to three high school campuses, which would reopen as magnet schools.” Parents in schools at risk of closing have expressed great alarm at public meetings. One of those high schools — Grant High School in Northeast Portland — happens to be less than six miles from Vancouver Public Schools, where an astounding 68.8 percent of voters approved Tuesday’s M&O levy.
As we say, “C’mon over!”
No gain to celebrate — Truth be told, what happened Tuesday was not so much a victory but the avoidance of a loss. These were replacement levies, extensions of expiring levies. In most cases, no new revenue was created. More to the point, the districts still must face cuts in coming months because of reduced state funding.
Elections have consequences — And we’re not just talking about what happened this week. Three years ago, voters statewide reduced the school-levy requirement from a 60 percent supermajority to 50 percent plus one vote. The Columbian supported that ballot measure, arguing that as few as 40 percent of voters should never be allowed to obstruct educational advances that almost 60 percent of voters wanted. (That 2007 measure was rejected by 55 percent of Clark County voters). If that change had not been made statewide, three of the eight levies this week would have failed, and despite 57.9 percent approval in Washougal’s case.
The bigger the district, the stronger the support — Vancouver, the county’s second-largest district, posted the highest approval: 68.8 percent. District officials believe no levy has been rejected in that district in half a century. That’s a long, strong record of support. Not only would Tuesday’s Vancouver levy have passed the three-fifths supermajority requirement, it would have passed a two-thirds requirement. Evergreen, the county’s largest district, was third highest with 63.1 percent. Ridgefield was second at 67.9.
Attack campaigns backfired — Some anti-levy campaigning, particularly in the Evergreen district, was laced with inaccuracies and exaggerations. Coupled with a Public Disclosure Commission ruling that district officials could not officially respond to those attacks, districts were left in a tough spot, with only unofficial support groups left to respond. The bombs turned out to be duds, at least in the voters’ minds.
Long-term solution needed — School levies are falsely perceived by many to be the savior of schools. In fact, school levies are symptoms of a greater problem: the Legislature’s unwillingness to meet its constitutional mandate to fully fund basic education. If and when that duty is met, school levies will go away. Then, school boards and administrators will stop scrambling and begging for money every few years. Educators will be able to focus on educating.
