(click pic to enlarge)
(l-r) Superintendent Dr. Jon Holmen, President Lisa Guthrie, VP Eric Laliberte, Angela Meekhof, Aspen Richter, Lindsey Yocum (government affaires) and two student representatives, Hoe and Reddy.
BIO's HERE.
My wife and I went to the swearing in ceremony for Aspen Richter and Angela and stayed for their business meeting. Sustainability was their focus and priority. There was much talk about electric buses; and including them as part of their 136 bus fleet. Grant money for four e-buses was awarded to serve four schools with low-income students. They are operating. Apparently, no further grant money for e-buses will be available for LWSD; ~ $300,000- $400,000/ bus was quoted. There was no discussion of funding e-busses with the Capital Technology levy. Though, in 2001 LWSD passed a transportation levy.
Every four years the Educational and Operations (EP&O) and Capital Technology and Facilities levies are up for renewal. The board took formal action to approve a Lid-lift of these 2026 levies at their meeting on October 6, 2025. These replacement levies will be placed on the February 10, 2026, ballot.
Currently, 16% of the Lake Washington School District budget is funded by these two "replacement" levies. The school board is proposing a special "excess" increase (that will be baked in for years) in the 2026 levy ask owing to:
- loss of federal funding 5%. (total funding is currently $1.3M)
- new sales tax on services
- salary step increase
- increased compensation
- 8% inflation growth
Capital Technology and Facilities tax increase of $45/year on $1.5M assessed property value ($.44/$1,000 property value.)
REF: final pages of the "Levy Renewals" slide deck
EP&O Levy Program Funding (% of total program funds:)
- 25% Special Education* $22.0 Million
- 20% Counselors $3.0 Million
- 46% 6.5 Million Health and Mental Health Services
- 93% Safety Services $7.0 Million
- 80% Professional Learning $18.8 Million
- 90% Athletic & Extracurricular Activities $9.4 Million
- 100% Additional Course Offerings $5.0 Million
- 30% Early Learning $0.8 Million
Capital Technology & Facilities excess levy will finance:
- Application and modernization for technology systems. Education and operations instruction.
- Acquire and install computers, implement, train, and manage.
- Modernize and expand facilities through construction, renovation, and improvements. Improve technology and training.
We've talked several times at city council meetings, but I've noticed that you don't tend to publish any comments that counter your narratives. Here is a recent EV schoolbus fire story, and there are dozens more like this one out there on the web if you choose to look for them. EV buses are inherently more dangerous for children than diesel buses, due to the rapidity of smoke/fire events when a battery fails. Do you want children to die? And they really aren't that green either with all of the toxic smoke emitted when an event does happen. Here's a video for you to watch: https://youtu.be/hZzz776nZBs?si=isH8VWDTpsCKKCbp
ReplyDeleteThe West Coast, while historically dominant (87% of ESBs in 2020), now accounts for about 34% of the nation's committed ESBs as other regions catch up.Over 800 districts nationwide have committed to ESBs, supported by programs like the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, driving this widespread adoption.
ReplyDeleteIf fires are so common with ESPs why would the school districts be scrambling for them? Common sense.