The Shoreline School Board made the inevitable decision Monday to close North City and Sunset elementary schools.
The consolidation of eleven school communities into nine could affect every elementary school in the district.
Many of us have suggested other ways to deal with the school district’s declining enrollment, enrollment imbalance and financial deficit. However, our elected leaders have decided, and it’s time for everyone to make the new environment work.
If everyone puts as much energy into helping students and teachers as we did in arguing about the changes, Shoreline students will adjust easily and we’ll have nine great elementary schools.
Shoreline cable-TV tax a good idea
No one likes paying taxes, but if the city of Shoreline needs revenue, the proposed tax on cable television is a good idea.
It’s a strictly voluntary tax. People who don’t want to pay the tax can simply use over-the-air television.
After all, if God had meant for us to get television by cable, he wouldn’t have invented air.
Regional Transportation Commission needed
The state Senate has passed and sent to the House a bill to create a Regional Transportation Commission to govern both highway and transit projects in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. It would consist of 11 members — eight elected and three appointed by the county executives.
It would deal with one of the complaints many of us have about the current Sound Transit and Regional Transportation Improvement District boards — that they are not accountable to taxpayers. This bill would mean that we would get to elect most of the members of groups who decide where our transportation money goes.
Unfortunately, we won’t elect board members until a year after we vote this fall on a package of transportation improvements, but one senator assures me that it’s the fastest the new board can be started.
Build a smaller Evergreen-Point Bridge
The proposed transportation package may include a larger Evergreen-Point Floating Bridge on Highway 520. I say build a smaller one, with lanes only for transit and bicycles. Let one-person cars either drive around the lake or take ferries. Better yet, let people learn to live, work and play on one side of Lake Washington or the other.
Domestic partnerships a good compromise
The bill to allow same-sex couples to register as domestic partners is a good compromise between opponents of same-sex marriage and those who are concerned that same-sex couples live and raise their children in legally recognized, monogamous relationships.
Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com.
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