WSMC – WSPTA Simple Majority Campaign

WSMC – WSPTA Simple Majority Campaign=

Approve 4204!

Only 59 days until= election day!

The following talking points are now available on the state PTA website www.wastatepta.org

2-10 Minute Talking Points for Simple Majority at PTA Meetings=

No matter what the length of the talk, make sure to define what Simple Majority is, and how the audience can help. If you have more time, = spend more time on #2, which lists the reasons Simple Majority is important to yo= ur community.

1. &= nbsp; Explain Simple Majority

a. &= nbsp; School levies must pass with a “Super majority” 60% approval

b. &= nbsp; A “Simple Majority” will allow levies to pass with 50%+1

2. &= nbsp; Explain why Simple Majority is important in your community (Pi= ck and choose what works in your community)

a. &= nbsp; Because local Levies provide our schools with fundamental needs

· Local levies pay for books, teachers, reduced class sizes, technology

b. &= nbsp; Because schools need help

· Education funding is inadequate. Washington ranks 47^th in the nation in class size. Simple Majority doesn’t solv= e all of our problems, but it’s a first step.

c. &= nbsp; Because levy failures hurt our kids

· (If your community has had levy failures in the past, talk about the consequences here…even if you ultimately passed talk about the time lost educating kids because the distr= ict now has to plan two budgets, one with the levies and one without, talk about the lack of support in the classroom because the classroom volunteers are o= ut campaigning and burn out

· If you haven’t had a levy failure talk about how last year 33 school lev= ies received a majority vote but failed because they didn’t get 60%<= /o:p>

d. &= nbsp; Because the 60% rule is unfair to our kids and schools

· It is easier to vote in a new park= or jail then it is to pass a school levy that buys books and more teachers.

e. &= nbsp; Simple Majority is the first step towards fixing Ed funding

· SM has been a goal for the PTA for ever 20 years

· SM has been a goal for education groups in the state for over 30 years

· Now’s our chance!

f. &= nbsp; If we don’t pass 4204, we will not be able to put this issue through for another generation

· It won’t happen in our lifet= ime

· If we don’t pass this issue = we can’t possibly get Bonds to the ballot

g. &= nbsp; The PTA is instrumental in the success of passing the ballot issue

· We are the only education group wi= th access to parents and voters

· When the Simple Majority Steering Committee was asked who is the most important group to message to? The answer was Parents.

h. &= nbsp; We can win this one. But we have= to work, it is not a slam dunk.

· have to persuade 240,000 new YES vot= ers and we have to make sure that all the YES voters remember to vote

· Nov. 6^th is a minor election. Only 50% of registe= red voters will even vote.

· We need every single education-friendly YES voters to get out and vote.

· Without the YES voters we lose.<= o:p>

3. &= nbsp; How YOU can help:

a. &= nbsp; Endorse the campaign www.simplemajority.org

b. &= nbsp; Donate to the campaign at www.simplemajority.org

c. &= nbsp; Volunteer at www.simplemajority.org

d. &= nbsp; Contact your local Bond & Levy Committee – don’t know how? Contact a School Board member=