The time has come to debate the idea of a levy swap. Which is why CFN has included a levy swap question from State Representative Ross Hunter, D-Medina, in the statewide survey on “K-12 Education in Washington: Funding.”
Last night during a live debate on KCTS 9 between gubernatorial candidates Jay 
Inslee and Rob McKenna, the issue of a levy swap came up in their exchange on how best to fund public education in the aftermath of the State Supreme Court’s McCleary Decision.
Here is coverage of that debate topic as reported by Jim Brunner in The Seattle Times
…a complex property-tax swap proposal that has been circulated by Democrats and Republicans in Olympia as a possible way to boost state funding of public schools.
The tax swap, as outlined by legislators including Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, the House budget chairman, would raise the state property-tax levy for schools while lowering local levies.
The Hunter version of the tax swap, as well as an earlier one proposed by Republicans, would cause property taxes in some rural and property-poor districts to fall, while increasing the amounts paid in some richer districts.
Proponents say that would help deal with a state Supreme Court decision that found the state is failing in its constitutional duty to fund basic public education.
On a statewide basis, the swap would not bring in additional money for public schools in the short term, but would change where the money is coming from.
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