The Mercer Island School District (MISD) is asking our community to renew three school levies in the Feb. 9 election. I’m sure many of you are already planning to vote “Yes,” continuing the proud Mercer Island tradition of supporting our school district. After all, great schools are one of the key reasons why many of us moved here. And perhaps others are less excited about this levy vote, as the economic downturn has taken its toll on your personal finances. Whatever your predisposition, there are five things that you need to know before filling out your ballot:

1. These levies are critical to ensuring the continued excellence of Mercer Island schools.

Local school levies are a mission-critical component of MISD finances. The general fund levy will provide funding for one-fourth of MISD’s educational and support programs including almost 100 teachers, a seven-period high school, enhanced special education and English-language learner programs and most athletic programs. The transportation levy will keep our school transportation safe, replacing buses at the end of their serviceable life. And the capital levy will provide critical student learning enhancements and infrastructure improvements at every school in the district.

2. Our school levy rates are below those of neighboring communities.

Mercer Island levy rates (as measured per $1,000 of assessed value) are the second lowest in the area, behind only the city of Seattle. Bellevue, Lake Washington, Renton and Issaquah all pay higher levy rates than Mercer Island. Compared to these neighboring districts, our excellent schools are quite a bargain.

3. The Mercer Island School District is less well-funded than most districts in the state.

You may be surprised to learn that MISD receives less funding from the state than 90 percent of the other districts. Measured on a funds-per-student basis, Mercer Island is 288th out of 295 Washington school districts in funds received from the state for basic education, which is why our local levies are so important. Even with strong local community support such as donations from the Mercer Island Schools Foundation, federal subsidies and other grants, the MISD is in the bottom half of all districts in expenditures per student, lagging behind Seattle, Bellevue, Bremerton and Tukwila. Simply put, while we live in a relatively property-rich community, our schools are not well-funded.

4. Excellent schools are an asset for every member of our community.

Intuitively, we all know that terrific schools enhance the value of our homes. In their endorsement of the MISD levies, Seattle King County REALTORS president Keith Nelson said, “Good schools are the first thing homebuyers ask us about.” But how important are schools to home value? A study by real estate industry expert Cyberhomes demonstrated that “ZIP codes with top-notch schools commanded a 31 percent premium over the market as a whole.” These school levies represent an investment in your home’s value that will provide significant returns.

5. Your vote is more important now than ever.

State budget reductions over the last four years have forced MISD to cut $3 million from its budget. Unfortunately, the state’s budget issues will continue in 2010 and beyond. Additional cuts of as much as $1-2 million could be required by the district next year, depending on what the Legislature does in this session. If we are to preserve the quality of our schools, we must act locally and vote yes for the school levies.

Every voter needs to understand that this isn’t just another school levy election. If you already planned on voting yes, do so confidently; these levies are much needed and the funds will be efficiently spent by the district on key educational priorities. If the recession has understandably weakened your enthusiasm for levies, know that these funds are critical to our schools’ finances and represent an investment in our community. Three yes votes for schools. It’s never been more important!

To learn more, please visit our Web site at www.SchoolLevyYes.org, send your questions to info@SchoolLevyYes.org or join us, a group of community volunteers dedicated to supporting Mercer Island schools, every Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center.

Michael Dickstein, Chair of the Committee for Mercer Island Public Schools, CMIPS.