No consequences for failing schools (II)
The folks managing Seattle's Families and Education Levy have finally agreed upon the long-promised accountability for results, today's Seattle Times reports : "Student achievement to dictate some funds" The target for the 2005-06 year is that 160, or 8 percent,... [read more]

Post-Levy Editorials
The Seattle Times offers this editorial to mark the passage of the Families and Education Levy: "School levy approval means accountability" The headline itself is interesting, given that three other recent editorials informed us that this levy "is not a... [read more]

Viewer Mail
An anonymous reader writes about the Families and Education Levy: Dear Sound Politics, Thanks for preparing and disseminating the information about the impact and lack of value of this proposal as presented for the ordinary homeowner/taxpayer to educate themselves. I... [read more]

Plus ça change
Have the programs funded by the F&E levy been effective in improving academic achievement? Campaign literature acknowledges that it is "very difficult" to "gage (sic) the success" of those programs, but there's a feeling that higher student test scores can... [read more]

Andy MacDonald on KUOW
Andy MacDonald is now on KUOW -FM 94.9 at this writing (10 - 11am), facing off against Mayor Greg Nickels over the Families and Education Levy! Tune in and call in. UPDATE: Andy held his own against Hizzoner, who by... [read more]

It's in the P-I
I was quoted in yesterday's Seattle Post-Intelligencer article about the Families and Education Levy: "Campaign 2004: School levy seen as social safety net". Even though the article seems to be biased in favor of the levy, the reporter quoted me... [read more]

Delve Deeper
KUOW-FM interviewed me the other day for a short news item about the Families and Education Levy. They also interviewed a representative of the Muni League, which claims to have "delved deeply into the intricacies" of the ballot measure before... [read more]

The "Anti-Families" Levy "Foes"
Today's Seattle Times quotes me in today's news article about the Families and Education Levy. Unfortunately, the story is more about the opponents of the levy than an investigative report of the program itself: "Foes of Families and Education Levy... [read more]

Seattle Weakly: "We don't report, but decide for you anyway"
The Seattle Weakly endorsed the Families and Education Levy today: Opponents say these programs have been ineffective and lack accountability, and that the city would have too much discretion in spending. We disagree with the former and think the latter... [read more]

In these Times
Andy MacDonald and I are in today's Seattle Times with our op-ed on the Families and Education Levy. The Times wrote the headline: "Families and Education Levy earned itself a failing grade ". That refers to this passage: We read... [read more]

Balanced Levy Coverage
If you'd like to see an example of balanced coverage of the issues behind the Families and Education Levy, pick up a copy of the Ballard News Tribune. They interviewed Levy campaign manager Julien Loh and myself. (Here are Stefan's... [read more]

The Stranger says NO to levy
Überliberal alternative weekly The Stranger urges a NO vote on the Families and Education Levy! The Stranger Department of Homeland Security is urging a "no" vote because we hate children. They run around in restaurants and their diapers clog landfills.... [read more]

The Times says yes to levy
The Seattle Times has endorsed the Families and Education Levy: Seattle voters should extend the Families and Education Levy for another seven years despite City Council add-ons that ratcheted up the cost. This package is too important to turn down.... [read more]

It's in the P-I
Today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer gives us equal time for our op-ed against the Families and Education Levy: "Vote no on inadequate proposal", by Stefan Sharkansky and Andy MacDonald. The P-I was also kind enough to include a link to Sound Politics!... [read more]

Levy Hysteria
The Sound Politics opposition to the Seattle Families and Education Levy, questioning whether this sacred cow actually yields any milk, seems to be having something of an impact on the public discussion. Come see how some of the levy campaigners... [read more]

Levy Weasel Logic
At yesterday's levy debate before The Stranger editorial board, I saw for myself the extent to which some of the levy campaigners are willing to behave like shameless weasels in service of their proposed tax increase. Weaselism #1 Levy campaign... [read more]

Fun with Strangers
I had about the most fun I've had since moving to Seattle when I met with the editorial board of the weekly newspaper The Stranger yesterday afternoon. Pat Dolan and I were there debating two representatives from the Families and... [read more]

Seattle Tax Burden
Today's Seattle Times had a useful op-ed column that contained a detailed breakdown of the property tax burden faced by the median city homeowner. (Unfortunately, the column by Paul Guppy of the Washington Policy Center does not seem to be... [read more]

Affordable Housing in Seattle
The Seattle Times reports that an increasing number of first-time home buyers are being totally priced out of the city's housing market. Fortunately, the Mayor and City Council are on the case: The City of Seattle recognizes that local policies... [read more]

It's in the P-I
Today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer has an article about the Families and Education Levy: "Starbucks backs schools levy with $50,000". Unmentioned is the fact that Starbucks helped kill last year's "latte tax", which was intended to fund some of the same programs... [read more]

It's in the P-I
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial board has endorsed the Families and Education Levy. As I wrote the other day, fellow levy opponent Andy MacDonald and I went in front of the P-I ed board last week to debate the issue against... [read more]

Families and Education Levy Opposition Home Page
I've created a home page for the opposition to the Families and Education Levy. The URL for this page will be published in the forthcoming Seattle voters's guide for the September 14 election. This $117 million tax measure affects Seattle... [read more]

Dinner with the Shark
I'll be today's featured dinner speaker at the Seattle Downtown Republican Club, discussing the Families and Education Levy. The event starts at 5pm, with dinner and fascinating conversation followed by a half-hour interview/Q&A that will be videotaped for rebroadcast on... [read more]

Suppression of Dissent in Ashcroft's America?
The Seattle City Council voted this week to suppress dissent: In an effort to save money, the Seattle City Council Monday approved reducing the maximum number of words in this year's city voter pamphlet and pushed for a livelier publication... [read more]