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Letter: ‘We students are counting on voters to show up to the polls again’

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in: Politics, Columns, Opinion


Vancouver resident Tammy Pham shares the reasons for her opposition to I-2109

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

54.43 percent. That is how many voted to approve funding for Evergreen Public Schools in 2022 according to the official results published by the Clark County elections office. Without the 4.43 percent of voters granting this victory, counselors and nurses would not have had the additional funds needed to address the health of our youth. There would have been no funding for elective classes and extracurricular activities like music, theater, and athletics.

Tammy Pham
Tammy Pham

Now, we students are counting on voters to show up to the polls again. According to Washington’s Office of Financial Management under the Secretary of State, if Initiative 2109 passes, more than $2.2 billion over the course of five years will be cut from education. All this to give a tax break to fewer than 4,000 of the wealthiest households in Washington, as reported by the No on I-2109 campaign. Additionally, Cascade PBS states I-2109 is attempting to repeal a tax which funds: special education for students with disabilities, replacing and repairing aging schools, broadening affordable childcare and early education, and technical and community colleges. I want my little cousins to go to schools that are not deteriorating around them. I do not want them to potentially lose the opportunity to play violin or tennis because schools were forced to choose between funding for necessary building repairs and funding for extracurriculars.

In 2022, I was a Mountain View High School senior whose academic experience relied upon this kind of funding. Fortunately, I was 18 at the time and was able to vote for my district to be funded. Although my peers and I were graduating and would not be affected by the outcome, we worried about our younger siblings and underclassmen who did not have the same privilege. People I knew in the class of 2022 cultivated many fond memories from elective classes, music, theater, and athletics; we wanted everyone to have the same opportunities to bond with others and nurture their passions. After suffering through the pandemic and worsening mental health, our youth deserve to have extracurriculars they can participate in and mental health resources more than ever.

Beyond this, I am a proud Clark College Penguin, having obtained my Associate’s Degree for transfer this summer. Many underestimate the impact that technical and community colleges have on surrounding communities; however, I can confidently say that I have had the privilege of being taught by excellent, caring professors, and became a part of what truly felt like a family. The eldest of my little cousins has expressed interest in attending Clark College, and the last thing I want is for her to lose the chance to experience the Clark College that I did due to funding cuts. Properly funded technical and community colleges are critical for Washington state, serving as an affordable option for all students to have a quality post-secondary education.

A no vote on I-2109 is a vote to keep funding for technical and community colleges. It is a vote to invest in a strong workforce all across the state. It is a vote to ensure students with children have access to affordable childcare and early education while they pursue their own degrees.

Say no to I-2109; future generations of Washingtonians cannot afford it.

Tammy Pham
Vancouver

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