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State leaders press for K‑12 money as they weigh bond thresholds and property tax cap
Summary
State legislative leaders said funding for public schools is a top priority, calling for K‑12 spending bills to move before fiscal cutoff while discussing lowering school bond approval thresholds and easing a 1% property‑tax growth cap to shore up local budgets.
State legislative leaders on Saturday emphasized K‑12 funding as a top priority for the session and outlined several near‑term actions to shore up school and local government finances.
"One of our highest priorities as a caucus…is funding for our public schools," said Senator Pearson, noting three central K‑12 needs: special education, materials and operating costs, and student transportation. He said those spending bills "will need to move out of ways and means in some form before fiscal cutoff" to advance.
Why it matters: lawmakers said the existing 1% property‑tax growth cap restricts revenue for local governments and schools. "You cannot expect local governments to provide adequate police protection if you are cutting their revenue year over year," House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon said, arguing the cap ‘‘ratchets down property taxes relative to inflation’’ and strains local budgets.
Several speakers also discussed lowering voter approval thresholds for school bonds. An attendee said six school districts have bonds on the ballot now; House sponsors have proposed reducing the constitutional threshold from 60% to 50% while a senate proposal would set it at 55%. Senator Pearson said changing a constitutional threshold will require bipartisan agreement and that drafts are being exchanged; he said at least one Republican senator has signed on to the idea.
Leaders acknowledged public concerns about property‑tax increases. "Property taxes are really badly understood," Pearson said, urging clear public explanation that a move from a 1% to a 3% cap would affect a narrow slice of base property taxes (not voter‑approved levies) and would not mean tripling bills. Fitzgibbon pointed to county budget pressures — citing reported potential cuts in King County of about $30 million to the sheriff's office and $15 million to the prosecutor's office — as part of the rationale for exploring changes.
What’s next: lawmakers said they will continue bipartisan conversations on bond thresholds and consider targeted property‑tax relief measures such as a primary‑residence exemption for homeowners. No formal bill votes or final decisions were recorded at the press conference; leaders described these as areas for further negotiation.
