School board votes to oppose Initiative 1033

Tahoma School Board voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution to oppose Initiative 1033, the ballot measure to further limit property taxes.

Initiative 1033 would limit revenue increases for state, city and county governments to the rate of inflation and population growth. Additional money above the limit would have to be used to reduce property taxes. And though it would not affect local school levy and bond collections it would reduce the amount of taxes collected by the state for public schools.

According to estimates from the state Office of Financial Management, I-1033 would reduce state revenue by $5.9 billion over six years, including reductions of more than $2.4 billion to education. In Tahoma, the reductions in state funding it receives over that six-year period would be an estimated $17 million.

The resolution approved by the school board on Oct. 13 states that “Initiative 1033 will adversely affect K-12 funding and education programs in our local community and in the state of Washington.”