4204 - Letters to
the Editor (samples)
Note: Letters or
paragraphs may be freely "lifted" from the following contribution,
for local use. Please notify me (r9leg@comcast.net) if you submit a letter based on a letter here, so
we can not that, to prevent duplicate submittals.
Thanks.
Letters:
|
Aug.26th |
not published |
|
|
John
Stokes #1 |
August28th |
not published |
|
John
Stokes #2 |
August 28th |
not published |
|
Sept.14th |
Submitted to the |
|
Kelly Munn |
Aug.26th |
not published |
Simple Majority (4204) Deserves
Our Support
Voters this fall
will have a chance to support local schools in a way that has never before been
possible. A referendum to approve constitutional amendment 4204 will be on the
ballot. This measure would allow local school levies to pass with a simple
majority – 50% plus 1 vote – rather than the 60% supermajority now required.
Why is this
important? Local levies provide basic needs for schools, paying for up-to-date
textbooks, teacher training, classroom computers and smaller classroom sizes. Our
state’s schools need this help. One startling statistic is that we are 47th
in the nation in class sizes, meaning that only three states have larger
average class sizes. This means that the individual child often doesn’t get the
attention he or she needs.
When a levy
fails because it doesn’t get the 60% supermajority, it has a damaging effect on
the schools and their students. Last year, 31 levies got majority support but
failed because they fell short of the supermajority required. Levy failure
disrupts school operations and causes costly re-votes. Levy success allows
schools to focus on what they’re supposed to do – educate our kids.
Then there’s
the basic unfairness of the 60% rule. If we can build parks, jails and stadiums
with a simple majority vote, why can’t communities support education when
there’s majority support for the levy? The 60% rule sets an unfair hurdle for
these vital levies.
To learn more
about 4204, go to the campaign website at simplemajority.org and find out what
you can do to help.
|
John Stokes #1 |
August28th |
not published |
To the Editor:
As a parent, community member, and home
owner, I know the value of good schools. I also know the value of our democracy,
and the fact that something as basic and important as our school levies can be
defeated by a 40.01% minority of voters is not healthy for our schools or for
our democracy. Please support 4204 Simple Majority for Schools for the sake of
both.
Ok, so our school levies always pass, why
should it matter to us? Aside from the principle of majority rule which is
fundamental to American government, we belong to a larger community and every
child in this great State deserves the same opportunity as our kids. Failure of
a levy in another district affects us and hurts kids and their chances for a
good education and a productive life.
So please take a moment to mark the YES
box this November for 4204 – Simple Majority for all children. Think of the
future, and say YES now.
John Stokes
|
John Stokes #2 |
August 28th |
not published |
To the Editor:
There is a vote this November on 4204 for
a Simple Majority to support our local schools. It is not about a politician, it
is about our children, and that is why I am asking as a member of this
community that you please take the time to say YES to 4204.
Local levies provide our schools with a
big portion of their day to day operations, and without them our schools and our
children would suffer immeasurably. Lose a levy and you lose time and learning
with kids. Lose a levy and the kids lose a part of their education. Lose a levy
and our community loses part of its heart.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. You
can make sure democracy rules and education gets an important part of its
fundamental needs simply by marking the YES box beside 4204. Vote YES for kids
and for your community and its future. You will feel better when you do.
John Stokes
|
Leah Gillis |
Sept.14th |
Submitted to the |
Note:
This letter responds to a specific Federal Way Mirror article, but
contains sections which can be lifted for a Letter to the Editor in your own
locality.
A few weeks ago, an article was published that had so
much misleading or incorrect information that the only way I can address it is
to approach the issues one by one.
Ms. Vogt implied that the Simple Majority Resolution
was only on the ballot because the Legislature was trying to escape its
constitutional mandate to fund education, by lowering the passage of levy
requirements (simply 50 % plus 1). The
reality is that for 30 years, supporters of public education have fought to
give school levies the same opportunities for passage as other local
initiatives.
It is only fair that if parks, jails and sports
stadiums can be approved with a 50% +1 vote, then school district levies should
meet the same criterion. In 2006, 1 out of every 7 of the 225 school levies on
the ballot failed. All except one would
have passed with a simple majority requirement.
What we have, in essence, is rule by the minority when 59.9% of the
votes do not count enough to pass. That
is not the way our constitution intended that we be governed.
Ms. Vogt also commented that most voters are not
paying attention between major elections and this is the reason school levy
elections are held during this time. The
implication is that the
The piece of information that Ms.Vogt did have
correct is that there are many PTAs across the state that are launching
campaigns urging the passage of Simple Majority - EHJR 4204. The whole purpose of the PTA is to better the
lives of children. Trying to give
everyone an equal voice in our fight to support education should be a
no-brainer! It’s time that we support
our public schools using the same democratic process that applies to approving
initiatives, referendums and electing politicians.
Ms. Vogt’s comment that it is unlikely that the PTA
is speaking for parents at all is completely unfounded! The National PTA was created to better the
lives of children and continues to flourish because we have never lost sight of
this goal. How do we get our legislative
priorities? Each October,
Local levies provide our schools with fundamental needs. They pay for textbooks, smaller class sizes,
teacher training, and other basics that are essential to provide our children
with the quality education they need to succeed in life. Please vote to Approve 4204-Simple Majority
for our Local Schools.
Leah Gillis
Legislative Representative