The Northshore communities of Bothell, Kenmore and Woodinville support their public schools in many ways including supporting the local maintenance and operations levies that now occur every four years to provide for the district’s educational program. Unfortunately, rather than the state legislature funding schools adequately as the state’s “paramount duty,” the financial support of quality public education has been pushed further to the local communities. Northshore seeks an additional 4 percent temporary supplemental levy.

I have been a Northshore Schools “insider” for a career of 37 years, retiring in 2008 as assistant superintendent for secondary schools. I live and worked in this community. I have participated in long budget development processes, community surveys, hearings and task forces recommending difficult decisions for the school board to reduce the scope of programs and services. The outcomes resulted in reductions of millions of dollars, changes in course requirements, loss of bus stops and transportation services, unpopular starting and ending times of schools, lost junior-high sports, activity buses for after-school programs, popular programs like Traffic Safety, and an unfortunate trend line of growth in class sizes, to name a few impacts. The school district documents the loss of $20 million over the past five years. It is definitely a leaner but more challenged environment where people, programs and priorities are pitted against one another to achieve a balanced budget bottom line.

When today’s critics fan the anti-taxation fire against school districts and school programs, the points raised are policies and practices that have received transparent consideration through public forums and community dialogue over many years. The criticism without the full story is another example of negative campaigning with the welfare of the school system, our community and the students in the balance.

With the sale of the school district’s downtown W.A. Anderson property and previously approved capital projects bonds, the district has been able to make important infrastructure improvements for the transportation facilities, the Pop Keeney Stadium and the Secondary Academy for Success alternative school. These projects fall outside the funding challenges and state failures in funding for basic education in our schools. Open community processes and prior elections have supported these improvements overwhelmingly. I look forward to Pop Keeney Stadium having locker rooms, visiting seats where you can actually see the game, adequate restrooms for the large crowds supporting our students, a concessions facility and better parking that meets current standards.

I cannot think of anyone I talk to who is excited to pay more taxes. But the price is justified as I see the success in our schools each year despite the challenges, teachers, administrators and support staff that believe in the Northshore School District and public education, the outstanding high-school graduates, the national awards and the foundation Northshore students receive K-12 in our public schools. I will vote “Yes” on Aug. 17. Strong schools create strong vibrant communities!

Eric Barnum

Bothell