LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The Legislature adjourned the 2015 regular. Now in the special session, the House and Senate continue their work on finding a resolution to overreliance on local levies to fund education. In its McCleary decision, the Washington Supreme Court found that school districts are relying on local property tax levies to fund expenses that fall under the state's definition of basic education and therefore should be funded by the state.
Several proposals related to compensation and levy reform have been introduced to address the ruling. The Washington Research Council details the proposals in their brief: Levy Swap: Tax Increases, Tax Reductions, Unanswered Questions.