Here is the back story you won't be hearing from this newspaper and the Highline School District about the bonds and levies recently floated as a trial balloon.

Selling to the public follows a shopworn pattern:

Announce the goal, probe the public using the adjunct Highline Citizen's for Schools as agent, target likely voters, conduct the election at great cost in the winter following the General election three months prior, but not during a General election when there are more likely voters, and then campaign to sell the bond.

On October the 8th the trial balloon was launched in the Highline Times identifying a $200 Million bond to replace Highline High School and Des Moines Elementary School. You may get the details from the District.

In addition, an unidentified levy of undetermined cost is being evaluated.

At the October 13th meeting to hear the report conducted by the Highline Citizen's for Schools about their survey, the District announced they would not float the bond issue. However, voters will decide in February on a four-year "Educational Programs and Operations Levy" hereafter referred to as "EPOL. "

The replacement levy will be $46 million for the first two years, $47 million for the third year and $49 million for the final year. As always, the administration announced the levy to be a replacement levy. More accurately, it is a levy of rising costs.

In the past, the named levy was called an "Operations and Maintenance levy." A bit of history is helpful at this point.

Years ago the State Legislature, in the interest of equalizing school funding for all, declared the State will fund all schools. Later, at the behest of schools, the Legislature granted power to the Districts to promote levies for the purpose of providing extras such as a music programs, or sports. Primary school expenses such as salaries, maintenance and more are enclosed in the State apportionment to each school.

Over time, School Districts couldn't forbear the temptation to allocate O&M funds to raise salaries of officials and spend money on goodies of their choice. You may validate this occurrence by selecting any high paid employee of the District. By the way, this is public information by statute. Ask them how much they receive in salary. Then ask how much of their salary is paid by State allocation for the position.

Subtract the State allocation from the total and then ask them to explain from what source the difference derives.

Let us view today as I see it. The EPOL is a must pass levy for high salaried employees. Bear in mind that bonds, even though circumscribed by law, also yield money for excesses because provisions of the law allow expenses for items like furniture and technology that normally would be purchased from existing funds.

Necessarily, the economy has forced all of us to alter our lives to match our declining income. Government entities must adjust too. Economics about government demonstrate that the District has priced itself out of the market and must adjust. The School District has seen the future. Very much like other government entities, they will attempt to resist any adjustment. Hence, they will raise fees, taxes, and use any other device to maintain the current class of increasing revenue. Government entities need new money every year even in all current spending is held constant.

The District coveted the big grab by promoting as many bonds and levies, under law, that could be sustained by the collective value of our property within the district. Note that money is the target and service rendered is second.

"... to pass a bond by a 60 percent majority " in this economy would be a significant challenge," Eliason, speaking for the Highline Citizen's for schools, reported. The District's hopes were dashed and they relented. For them the levy is a personal imperative. They opted to put all their energy into passing the levy. A levy loss would mean their salaries will revert to dollars allocated to them by the State.

Service jobs cannot exist without the productive side of our economy. Despite all attempts by service workers to consume more of the production, the market will out. You have options. Attack the problem now or wait for the market to run its course. The District won't like what the Market will do.

During the dead of winter campaign, much teeth gnashing will arise. Threats of dire consequences directed at us about our children will be expressed but when you are broke there is no more money.

We have given the district the money they asked for; we agreed to planning time away from students, we have built them new schools, and we have listened to their excuses about the genealogy of the students and class sizes ad infinitum. And we pay twice when those who graduate go on to college and must take remedial education.

It isn't buildings, or class size that ensures education for our children. Success correlates to a teacher that knows their subject and a supportive Principal. A good teacher will succeed if teaching in a foxhole with artillery shells going overhead.

District School funding methodology begins at the top and works its way downward. Teachers are at the bottom of the list. Accept no excuses. Force the money downward to the teachers. Tell your school board that when cuts in the budget are imperative, begin at the top and eliminate top positions. There is more money there. Tell the employees, no excuses, you are the professionals, now do the job we hired you to do or we will get someone else.

We forget problems facing our students are they can't read, write, or calculate. Let's begin there.
Bring the classroom back to the community where teachers and principals must deal with their neighborhoods.

Paul Willoughby
Tukwila