Some of us may rue the economic boom in the Seattle-King County area for its rising real estate prices and taxes, inadequate infrastructure, traffic, etc. But there are advantages, and the King County Council is offering county voters an opportunity to capitalize on the boom by supporting arts, science and heritage organizations with a measure called “Access for All.” It will appear on your Aug. 1 ballot as Proposition 1, and in case you read no further here, we speak for island nonprofits when we urge you to vote ‘yes,’ for Prop 1. And, here’s why.
Access for All will provide nearly $70 million a year, for seven years, to regional and community-based nonprofits and to school districts county wide. It does this by adding just one penny in sales tax to every $10 spent in the county. That’s an average of $30 per year per family. Its primary goal is to expand access to cultural, scientific and heritage experiences for children, particularly those in low-income and rural districts — that’s us. Doug King, president and CEO for the Museum of Flight, put it this way:
“Tomorrow’s scientists, engineers and inventors are in today’s classrooms, but the reality is their potential is all-too-often limited by their zip code.” The same goes for tomorrow’s artists, teachers and leaders.
How many Vashon parents — middle and low-income — have lamented their inability to send a child on an enriching field trip for lack of funds to pay the fee or even the ferry fare? Prop. 1 aims to eliminate those barriers by providing transportation funds to school districts. And, the Vashon School District is listed as a priority in the legislation.
If it passes, Access for All will significantly bolster cultural life in King County and on Vashon Island — a value this community holds dear. Most of Vashon’s arts, science and cultural organizations are eligible for a big boost in their annual operating funds through Access for All. And, if you’ve ever worked with a non-profit organization, you know operating funds are rarely available through grants.
But the real crux of Proposition 1 is what it can do for every eligible Vashon organization —dramatically increase funding, allow the leverage to add and expand critical programs and encourage risk and experimentation in programming that can help each group realize its vision. Ultimately, this level of funding has the potential to fill the gaps in education created by cuts in support for educational enrichment. And, isn’t that what an affluent community does? Our King County Council endorses the notion that a wealthy community shares its assets with all its citizens because that keeps the entire community healthy.
The potential benefit for Vashon is huge. Think of the non-profit organizations involved with arts, heritage and science on our island. Financial support for each qualifying organization could amount to 15 percent or more of their annual budget for seven years. That $30 per year is money you won’t even notice when you spend it, but the return on that invisible investment promises at least seven years of growth in the values we treasure most.
You can find all the specifics at the website: accessforallwa.gov.
Vote “yes” for King County Proposition 1 — Access for All.
— Karen Baer is a member of the Vashon Island Chorale board;
Deb Dammann is board president of the Vashon- Maury island Heritage Association; Lynn Greiner is president of the Friends of Mukai board; and Denise Katz is president of the Vashon Center for the Arts board.
