Via Western States Center:

To celebrate Black History Month we are happy to share with you a couple short video clips of Loretta Ross, cofounder and national coordinator of SisterSong, Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. 

Watch this video to find out the origin of “women of color.”

The educational Levy’s voting results  from this week’s special election are out, with 31% of voters reporting to the polls. Our partners at the Highline School District tell us how happy they are with the results.

“We are grateful to Highline voters for their remarkable show of support for their local schools,” says Catherine Carbone Rogers, Highline Public Schools director of Communication and Community Development. “The election results show that this community really values education and wants to invest in our children and schools.”

Below are the results as of February 9:

HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 401

31.64% voters reported

Proposition No. 1 Replacement of Expiring Educational Programs and Operation Levy

Source: King County Elections

Kathi George Wheeler of NoiseWithoutSound.com displays the graphic designs she created for the effort to promote fresh produce in White Center. The designs build on the Growing a Global Community theme and graphic look she created for the recently installed Welcome to White Center signs. Photo and article by Patrick Robinson.

Marketing White Center was on the agenda (and a lot more) at the White Center Business District Mixer on Monday evening, Feb 7. Led by Nhan H. Nguyen, Neighborhood Revitalization Program Manager from the White Center Community Development Association, the meeting was crowded at Young Restaurant at 9413 16th s.w.

Nguyen spoke about upcoming revitalizing projects for the White Center business district sponsored by the CDA, Chamber of Commerce and other community partners: including façade improvement grants, street banners, a business resource guide, a shopper incentive card, a buy local campaign, seeking social media marketing training, brand promotion, and more.

At the last mixer, topics were listed and prioritized, which set not only the agenda for this meeting but for where people felt their energies would be best spent.

These included:
Facade Improvement Grants
Continue to organize mixer meetings
Media outreach
White Center Spring Clean
The creation of a White Center Shopping Guide and Map
Buy Local marketing campaign
Creating a business resource handout
Revamping the shopping card

Full article here.

The White Center CDA will be attending Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day in Olympia this Monday, February 14, and we want to give an opportunity for residents of White Center* to have a genuine, face to face opportunity to voice concerns about Housing and Homelessness to elected officials that represent our area. The White Center CDA will provide transportation to and from Olympia. More information here on this flyer:

Clickable link to Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day: http://www.wliha.org/hhad.html

*not limited to residents of White Center

More great news related to White Center continues in this article from The Seattle Times. Here is an excerpt:

ROGER TUCKER is in a booth at a White Center community summit, looking for votes. Not for himself, but for what color scheme people would like to see on an apartment complex going up nearby.

With a small dot, he records each person’s preference and asks them all why they chose what they did.

He’s especially impressed with the woman who likes the version where big sections of the buildings are dominated by different colors. If she lived there, she says, that would help her direct friends to her apartment. That’s a good thought, Tucker says, that no one else raised.

Most architects wouldn’t spend three hours on a Saturday talking paint with the public, but for Environmental Works, where Tucker is executive director, it’s part of the mission.

Read the rest of the article here, and make sure to check out the photos, the 5th one featuring our previous White Center CDA parent ambassadors, Patricia and Elisa!

Lunar New Year comes a little early this year for us, courtesy of Sam from Samway Market in White Center! He dropped off three beautiful gift bundles of fruit (oranges, guavas, pomelos, starfruit, grapefruit, etc) and a large vase filled with gladiolas. There are red envelopes attached to each gladiola, symbolizing good luck. Thank you Samway Market, and have a prosperous 2011. Photo, L to R: White Center CDA intern Julia Salinas, CDA admin director Kate Stannard and Sam Yin.

UPDATE, 2/3/11: According to our Nhan Nguyen, our Neighborhood Revitalization program manager, there will be lion dances in front of Young’s Restaurant, Pho My Loi, First Impression Dental, Banh 88 and other businesses this Saturday, February 5.

1. What does the levy pay for?

The levy pays for basics not fully funded by the state, such as personnel, bus transportation, textbooks, and maintaining safe and healthy schools. About 80% of the levy pays for teachers and other staff. Levy funding makes up about one-fourth of the district’s operating budget.

Of every levy dollar, roughly:

• 70 cents pays for teacher and staff salaries and benefits.
• 12 cents pays for special education.
• 12 cents pays for instructional materials.
• 6 cents pays for bus transportation.

2. How much money will the levy raise for schools?

The levy would raise a set amount each year for four years. The table below shows the amount raised by the levy each year and an estimated tax rate. The tax rate will be adjusted as property values change in order to allow the district to collect the exact amount approved by voters-and no more.

Year: 2012

Amount collected: $46 million

Estimated rate/$1000 assessed home valuation: $3.44

Year 2013

Amount collected: $46 million

Estimated rate/$1000 assessed home valuation: $3.44

Year 2014

Amount collected: $47 million

Estimated rate/$1000 assessed home valuation: $3.44

Year 2015

Amount collected: $49 million

Estimated rate/$1000 assessed home valuation: $3.52

3. What happens if property rates increase?

If property rates go up, the tax rate is adjusted downward. The school district does not collect more revenue as property values increase.

4. Is this a tax increase?

This levy replaces a levy that is expiring, so it is not a new tax. The amount the district would collect under the new levy is slightly more than before. When the legislature cut state funding for schools last session, it gave districts permission to ask for a small increase from local voters. However, the increase will only make up for a fraction of the state cuts. The new levy would cost the average Highline homeowner about $14 more per month.

5. How will this tax impact senior citizens?

Low income seniors and people with disabilities may qualify for an exemption. To apply for this exemption, call the King County Tax Exemptions Office at 206-296-3920 or go to www.metrokc.gov/assessor.

6. Where can I vote?

This election is mail-only. Ballots will arrive in voters’ mailboxes around January 19. Completed ballots must be postmarked on or before February 8.

7. What is the difference between a school bond and a school levy?

Bonds are for building. Levies are for learning. Levies raise funds for school district operations, such as teachers, athletics and activities, and support services. When voters approve a levy, they are agreeing to pay taxes to fund these services. Bonds are pay for capital facilities needs. Voters approve a measure allowing the school district to borrow money for facilities improvements. The district issues bonds to raise the money up front. Similar to a home mortgage, the district repays the money (plus interest) in installments over time. Bond dollars can only be used for capital improvements.

8. Why has the school district continued to build schools when operating funds are so tight?

Voters approved a bond for school construction in 2006, and the district is committed - and is legally obligated-to spend that money only on the construction projects approved by voters. By law, the district cannot tap the capital budget for operating expenses.

Via Highline Public Schools Website

THANK YOU to the 20+ volunteers (White Center residents and business owners, students and community partners) who showed up this morning to volunteer for the annual One Night Count of the homeless. We will connect this work to Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day in Olympia on Monday, February 14.

For more information on the One Night Count, please visit:

http://www.homelessinfo.org/one_night_count/

Check out our Twitter page and Facebook page to see similar updates for this event.

These meetings have been happening since last year and it is a great opportunity to network with local business and shop owners. Please see the flyer below for the next meeting’s agenda. Thanks!

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