School measures deserve yes vote

School levies seem to be a part of life. Despite appropriations from the state for the costs of basic education, school districts still need to ask voters to tax themselves to cover expenses that state funds don't cover.

And this Tuesday is election day for the Wahkiakum School District's request for a special levy. School personnel have taken to calling it a replacement levy, for the levy would replace a similar levy which voters approved four years ago at a similar tax rate.

As The Eagle reported in November, the levy pays for technology upgrades, staffing, employee health premiums, and any new curriculum that may be adopted by the school district, the superintendent said. It provides money to transport kids to and from school, to away games and other extracurricular activities or field trips. It provides a salary for coaches, it pays for vocational programs and gives teachers the time and resources to improve during staff inservice. Mostly it provides money to cover any of the necessary maintenance, supplies and operating costs involved in running a school.

These items may not be covered by 'basic education' funding, but they're still vital to the operation of our schools.

The Wahkiakum School District is also asking voters to approve a change in director districts.

Currently, directors are elected from five individual geographical districts. It has become hard to find candidates from certain districts, and the board has proposed switching to having directors from three geographical districts and two district-wide, at large districts.

In the early days of the school district, the area's communities were a bit more separated and had stronger identities than now exist. People are much more mobile, and the community ties aren't so important. I think the proposal would maintain geographical representation and open the door to having two directors whose qualifications aren't limited by the location of their residence.

I think the two measures on the ballot deserve the voters' support.