At its Jan. 5 meeting, the Redmond City Council voted 6-1 in favor of supporting the Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD) proposed levy and bond measures that will be placed on the February ballot.

The levies, which would replace the current levies, would pay for many of the district’s core items such as teacher training, textbooks and transportation, as well as building repairs, system replacements and technology upgrades.

The bond measure would enable the construction of two new elementary schools in Redmond, and expansion of Redmond and Eastlake High Schools and the Environmental and Adventure School in Kirkland. It would also fund the rebuilding of Juanita High School.

Councilmember David Carson was the sole voter against the measures, stating that he does support the school district and its mission but does not believe that Redmond City Council should take such a position on measures which will come before the voters.

Carson explained, “I believe that the electorate is smart enough to weigh the arguments of an issue and make the right decision for our community without being told how to vote by the council. In the past, I’ve voted no because there is no allowance in Washington State Law to abstain from such votes. … I’m very supportive of the Lake Washington School District and public education generally. I got an excellent public school education and it doesn’t happen without the appropriate investment. I am personally voting for and supporting the renewal of both levies but I have not made a decision on the bond issue yet, as I believe it is counterproductive to raise taxes in the middle of a recession. I am going to study the issue further before the February vote, though.”

The total of all three funding measures proposed by the LWSD would increase the total tax paid on a home with the average assessed value in the district from $1,448 in 2010 to $1,618 in 2011 or an increase of approximately $170.