Edmonds School District is among those seeking Washington State Superior Court in Douglas County for permission to join Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson in defense of $ 500 million dollars a year in education funding that would be levied on a capital gains tax approved this year by the Washington State Legislature.
A group that includes the district earlier this week filed a movement to intervene as a defendant in the Clayton v. Washington and Quinn v. Washington. Both lawsuits seek to eliminate $ 500 million a year in education funding from a capital gains tax.
Potential stakeholders named are the Edmonds School District, Tammy Grubb, teacher at East Wenatchee College, parent Adrienne Stuart, Pathways Enrichment Academy director Mary Curry and the Washington Education Association.
The next court hearing is scheduled for Monday July 13 at 10 a.m.
“State funding is crucial to carrying out our mission to provide all children with a great education,” said Edmonds School District Superintendent Dr. Gustavo Balderas. “Edmonds offers a wide variety of programs and services to those who qualify for special education services. Our programs include occupational therapy and physiotherapy, speech therapy, intensive academic, social and emotional support, and developmental kindergarten. All of these programs would receive additional funding, especially as the district works to help students adjust to in-person schooling after the effects of the recent global pandemic.
According to our online information partner Seattle weather, the Freedom Foundation, together with a Seattle law firm, filed a lawsuit in April against the tax. Then in May, former Washington attorney general Rob McKenna filed yet another complaint submitted on behalf of several state residents, including farm and manufacturing business owners, investors and the Washington State Farm Bureau.
Measurement adds a 7% tax on capital gains above $ 250,000 per year, such as profits from stocks or sales of companies. This would raise about $ 445 million per year, starting in 2023, the Times reported.
