Formidable task ahead for North Thurston district

• Last fall, voters statewide amended the state constitution to reduce the percentage of "yes" votes it takes to pass a school levy. Instead of needing 60 percent, levies now can pass with a simple majority of 50 percent. (North Thurston got a 47.8 percent favorable vote on the Feb. 19 maintenance and operations levy request).

Dump tech levy

Koval can recommend a few changes in the levy package to make it more palatable to voters.

First, he should recommend that the district abandon its technology levy that failed by a mere 34 votes in February. No doubt, the district needs new computers. But computers, and the technology levy, are frosting. You don't go for frosting when the cake is crumbling. The maintenance and operations levy is the cake — the foundation of public education. And levy funding is at risk. Voters are more likely to look more favorably on a single levy request if they are not asked to dig deeper into their pockets for two levies.

Second, Koval should recommend that the length of the levy be shortened from four years to two years. Yes, that means that North Thurston will be running its levy in 2010 when adjoining Olympia and Tumwater are not. But a two-year levy brings more accountability to school districts. It means that district officials will be back before voters in just two years demonstrating how they have been good stewards of tax dollars.

By abandoning the technology levy and returning to voters in two years instead of four, North Thurston stands a better chance of getting to that magical 50 percent number needed to pass the maintenance and operations levy May 20.

Koval takes the first step in that direction when he sends his recommendation to the school board directors today.