State Superintendent Hints at Voter Retaliation over Car Tabs
Since when does the person who's supposed to oversee our public school system hint that there should be retaliation against those who voted in favor of $30 car tabs? The Superintendent of Public Instruction?
According to Tweets put out by a publication called The Democrat, as well as the Super themselves, Chris Rykdal apparently favors some sort of retaliation against voters.
According to KTTH Radio, this is the Tweet itself:
"If Washington State Legislative Democrats do not pull down transportation projects in direct proportion to the 976 yes votes by county, then nothing will change! If certain counties want transportation taxes cut, then they don't get the projects. Step up Democrats!"
— Chris Reykdal (@chrisreykdal) November 6, 2019
The last time we checked, the State Superintendent is supposed to not really be politically charged or motivated except for trying to build the best educational system we can have. Aside from the Secretary of Washington State, the Superintendent of Public Instruction is considered (or used to be) the 'least' political position.
But apparently Rykdal is the latest state officials to lose their gourd over the passage of I-976. It's rather ironic that those who opposed the measure (including the transit systems on the West side) spent millions on advertising against it, while the pro-I-976 spent very little. It was the voice and opinion of a well-informed and resentful public who were paying a lot more attention to how their tax dollars were being wasted; much more so that public officials thought.
There are fears among some that Rykdal may try to 'punish' districts in conservative areas that heavily supported I-976, perhaps down the road when it comes to funding or procedural issues affecting those schools.
If you don't agree this is the way the director of public education in Washington State should conduct themselves, then let Superintendent Rykdal know. The Office of Public Instruction Olympia Number is: 360-725-6000.