We're sharing out this call to action from WSPTA to stop the Democratic majority in #waleg from making huge cuts to K-12 public schools.
If legislators want us to trust that they'll use millionaire's tax revenue to fund K-12, they need to show us now that public education is a priority.
Hundreds of people have urged @governorferguson.bsky.social and #waleg to dedicate at least half the revenue from a millionaire's tax to K-12 public schools, helping kids and helping the tax gain public support. Send your message too: actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
WA could pay for all these edu programs they plan to cut and MORE if they just didn't repeal the 2025 estate tax expansion...
This proposal is a good example of why we are calling on #waleg to explicitly dedicate revenue from a millionaire's tax to public education, and do so in writing in the legislation. We're tired of having to constantly beg legislators to uphold their constitutional duties to our schools and kids.
These cuts come in large part from the rolling back of an estate tax increase on the rich, which would cost $435M overall. While there is debate on whether this tax is effective, any cut to it should be offset and K-12 schools protected. But the WA Senate Dems don't propose that.
The WA Senate Dems' budget proposal includes at least a whopping $310 million in cuts to public education:
❌ $140M cut to transition to kindergarten
❌ $110M cut to Local Effort Assistance (meaning an immediate budget cut to school district operations)
❌ $60M cut to budget depreciation calculations
If you agree, send a message to the governor and your legislators: tell them to dedicate at least half the revenue from a millionaire's tax to K-12 public education!
Again, we won't say no to a millionaire's tax. Any such proposal is better than none. But it would be much stronger, with a better chance of passage in both #waleg and the ballot box, if legislators follow @chrisreykdal.bsky.social's suggestions and dedicated much of its revenue to schools.
2) We are not confident that voters will support a millionaire's tax without some assurance from #waleg that schools really will benefit from the revenue. Voters in CA, MA, and AZ approved similar taxes on the rich in part because much or all of those revenues were dedicated to public schools.
While we welcome any new revenue that the state would raise, we are unconvinced that legislators actually will devote a significant chunk of it to our schools. Their refusal to dedicate a millionaire's tax revenue to schools deepens that doubt.
1) We share WSPTA's concerns about the overall #waleg track record on funding K-12 public schools. It's a poor record. Legislators had to be held in contempt of court to comply with the McCleary decision. Even then, their solution shortchanged our schools and students are suffering the consequences.
This is a good letter from WA State PTA about the proposed millionaire's tax, and we share their concerns. While we do support the current proposal -- an income tax has been in our legislative agenda for 10+ years -- it would be much stronger if much of its funding were dedicated to K-12 public ed.
Do you agree with us, SPI @chrisreykdal.bsky.social, and the Seattle Times that #waleg should earmark much of the revenue a millionaire's tax to K-12 public education? If so, send the governor and your three legislators a message telling them to make it happen!
This is very smart of @chrisreykdal.bsky.social. The initial millionaire's tax proposal earlier this week from Dems in #waleg won't fly with voters because it doesn't offer them anything big in exchange for voters doing something big (agreeing to an income tax). Reykdal's proposal is big.
Send a message to @governorferguson.bsky.social and your 3 state legislators: devote at least 50% of the millionaire's tax revenue to public schools!
Wonderful to see @chrisreykdal.bsky.social endorse the push to dedicate some of the millionaire's tax revenue to K-12 public schools. It's good policy -- and it'll make voters more likely to approve it!
If #waleg is going to pass a millionaire's tax, they should commit to using a substantial amount of its revenues to help our public schools. Tell your legislators and @governorferguson.bsky.social to guarantee at least 50% of millionaire's tax revenues go to K-12 public education:
If @governorferguson.bsky.social calls #waleg back into session to deal with the budget, you had better believe we will insist on billions in new funding for our public schools, funded by a wealth tax.
It is really not OK that House Dems in #waleg are slashing spending for public schools, especially when schools across the state face a budget crisis. Should we urge @governorferguson.bsky.social to veto the final budget if it includes the House's levels of K-12 spending and not the Senate's?
At the Billion Dollar Bake Sale at the Capitol in Olympia on January 30, State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen came to speak and said the caucus had decided to make K-12 funding their priority for the session (as the constitution requires). Nobody from House Dem leadership came to speak.
Why are WA House Democrats so much more opposed to funding public education than the WA Senate Democrats? House Dems have spent the whole 2025 session pushing back hard against efforts to fund public education, constantly gutting K-12 spending bills sent to them by the Senate. More here:
Senate Dems’ wealth tax proposal, SB 5797, would fund a desperately needed $3 billion for our public schools. If @governorferguson.bsky.social doesn’t want to use a wealth tax, he needs to come up with another revenue source to provide that funding. Refusing to deliver the $3B is unacceptable.
Since last week we've driven in more than 600 emails to @governorferguson.bsky.social's office, and many phone calls, urging him to add billions in much needed funds for our public schools by passing a wealth tax. We are truly horrified that he would consider vetoing it.
It's our holy grail: $4 billion more *per year* for K-12 public schools, paid for by new taxes on WA's richest residents. It's SB 5797, and we need your help to get it passed! Click here to email your three legislators and @governorferguson.bsky.social to urge them to pass SB 5797!
"Voters were clear last November: they don’t want school funding cut so that extremely wealthy people can keep enjoying a tax break," said Senate Majority Leader Sen. Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle).
State Senate Democrats' revenue proposal is *excellent*. It includes $4 billion per year for public schools, funded by a financial intangibles tax paid by about 4,300 wealthy individuals. We hope the House supports it - and that @governorferguson.bsky.social would sign it. #waleg
Public education in WA is in deep trouble, facing huge budget cuts (and that was before Trump and Musk got their chainsaw out). Tell @governorferguson.bsky.social to add billions more for our schools -- and to tax the rich to fund it!
Public education in WA is in deep trouble, facing huge budget cuts (and that was before Trump and Musk got their chainsaw out). Tell @governorferguson.bsky.social to add billions more for our schools -- and to tax the rich to fund it!
There's a lot of (smart!) encouragement to pace ourselves and choose our advocacy priorities in the midst of fascism.
For me, it's always been public education because it is *always* something to be *for.*
Public education is a beacon for democracy and civil rights.
Fund it accordingly!
Crowd of parents and students meets with woman. All are standing on a marble floor
A group of students sits on marble stairs. A woman in a gray sweater and red skirt with black hair is speaking to them.
A man with white hair, a blue dress shirt, a red tie, and a blue suit jacket, and a woman with black hair and black suit, address a group of parents and students wearing red shirts.
Inside the Capitol, parents and educators and students met with legislators, including brand-new State Rep Brianna Thomas, and State Rep Gerry Pollet, to urge them to fund public schools. Unfortunately @governorferguson.bsky.social was not in his office or even in Olympia today (per his staff).