OLYMPIA, Wash. — State superintendent Chris Reykdal called his school funding proposal “ambitious,” and said new tax revenue would likely be needed to pay for the increases.
Monday Reykdal laid out his K-12 funding proposal for the next two years.
His plan calls for $2.9 billion in increased spending for 2025-2027.
Reykdal’s priorities: boosts in funding for special education, transportation, materials, supplies, and operating costs.
He said the increase in funding would allow districts to hire more para-educators, counselors, and other support staff, while also allowing districts to pay those employees more.
”That is extremely ambitious, and we should do it. We should do what it takes in order to keep the most talented people in our schools,” Rekdal said Monday.
He noted his proposal does not have to find ways to pay for the programs, but Reykdal said it would likely take increased taxes.
Reykdal would support creating a state income tax to help pay for schools, noting that would require voter approval.
He also said he would only support an income tax if other taxes were reduced.
”I do think we need to change the equation in Washington State, decrease our dependence on property taxes and sales tax, and increase our concept of drawing dollars out of those who have the most,” said Reykdal.
Reykdal is running for a third term in November against challenger David Olson.
Olson, a member of the Peninsula School Board, said he supports increasing funding for special education and transportation.
But Olson said taxes should not have to be raised to fund the increases.
“The money’s absolutely there,” said Olson, who suggested using more funding from the sale of marijuana and lottery tickets to fund education.
Olson also questioned the timing of Reykdal’s announcement, made more than three months before legislators return to Olympia in January.
“It’s a political stunt to say, 'I’m going to throw more money at education,'" Olson said.