House approves simple majority approval of school taxes

OLYMPIA — The state House has voted once again to support a constitutional amendment to allow simple-majority approval of special property-tax levies for public schools.

It passed on a strong 79-19 vote tonight and now heads to the Senate, which narrowly defeated a similar measure earlier this month.

The House has passed the measure for more than a decade, only to watch it die in the Senate. Two years ago, the measure passed the House on a 73-25 vote, but was defeated in the Senate, 25-23.

A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers plus a simple majority of the voters.

"Unless we send this out to the people, they have no voice," said Shay Schual-Berke, D-Normandy Park, the bill's sponsor.

It currently takes a 60 percent supermajority to pass a school levy. To lower that to 50 percent would take a constitutional amendment.

All the no votes in the House were from Republicans. They argued the lower threshold would mean higher property taxes.