Seattle votes strongly for added property tax to fund preschool

[applegrove]

Seattle votes strongly for added property tax to fund preschool

by Laura Clawson for Daily Kos Labor

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/07/1342903/-Seattle-votes-strongly-for-added-property-tax-to-fund-preschool#

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In another example of voters doing something local that Congress should already have done, Seattle voters voted themselves a small property tax increase to offer free or subsidized preschool to children from low- and middle-income families, while increasing pay for preschool teachers and expanding teacher training requirements. The vote will create a $58 million levy over four years, taxing the owner of a $400,000 home an additional $43 a year:

The money will go to select, high-quality preschools to provide slots to families based on income. It will ramp up over time, serving 280 children in 2015, and subsidizing up to 2,000 by 2018.

It will make preschool free for families earning up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $70,000 a year for a family of four.

Families earning between 300 percent and 760 percent of the poverty level will get subsidies. This four years is a pilot project with a slow ramp up and a limited size even in 2018, but hopefully after 2018 it will shed its pilot status and move forward. Officials estimate that true universal preschool would need to serve about 9,000 children.



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[shenmue]

1. Proper funding and help for children?

What an idea!

[applegrove]

3. I know. And now that it will exist in the USA studies can be done

showing how important early childhood education is. Red states...don't hold your breath.

[SMC22307]

2. Damn those white, dope-smoking libruls! (n/t)