[Mjhsteam] Signature Collecters needed for ID Educators Penny Sales Tax Initiative

[Susan]

At our parent group meeting last Tuesday, Penni Cyr and Ingrid Spence 
spoke to us on behalf of the MEA about the statewide penny sales tax 
initiative. Teachers and parents all over the state are collecting 
signatures to help place an initiative on the ballot next fall so that 
voters all over the state can decide whether or not to reinstate the 
penny sales tax that the legislature sun-setted. The proposal is that 
the extra money would go entirely for education. There are very 
reasonable stipulations on what it can be spent on, and also 
stipulations that the legislature can't decrease the current amount of 
allocated education dollars to make up for it. It's estimated that the 
Moscow School District would receive over $1 million more in funding if 
this measure is voted in.

Across the state, 48,000 signatures are needed to place the initiative 
on the ballot. MEA has asked for our help collecting signatures in Latah 
county. We have information sheets and signature collection sheets 
available for any parent willing to help. They are at Anne Peterson's 
house (she lives behind McDonald school) and you can call her at 
882-0252 to arrange to pick up a packet. Our local MEA would like the 
sheets turned in by the end of spring break, but you can turn it in any 
time before that. One note: they need us to keep signature sheets by 
county, and not mix voters from different counties on the same sheet. So 
if you will be collecting signatures in a different county, ask for an 
extra signature sheet.

- Susan Mahoney