I am very concerned that Clark County has two state elected officials who are a key part of blocking progress in resolving education funding for the state of Washington.
Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, and Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, serve on the Education Funding Task Force, which had its last meeting Monday, at the beginning of the 2017 legislative session. They are two out of eight members of this committee, and when watching TVW coverage of this committee’s meeting, the vote split along party lines.
This committee has been meeting for months to develop potential plans for fully funding education. The Republicans have only developed guiding principles and no plan.
Monday’s hearing did not provide any meaningful information for the public on how to have conversations with state legislators on this very important topic. Our students, families, communities, and business owners looking for well-educated employees deserve to be informed by our local legislators throughout this session by having full access to proposals.
I recommend that Clark County citizens sign up to follow this legislation, educate themselves, and contact our local legislators to engage them in meaningful conversations so that an education funding plan is adopted during the 2017 legislative session.
