OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The Latest on the Supreme Court hearing on education funding in Washington state (all times local):
11:45 a.m.
Attorneys for the state of Washington told the state Supreme Court they have complied with a court mandate to fully fund the state’s basic education system, but an attorney for the coalition behind the long running lawsuit disagreed.
The high court heard arguments for about an hour Tuesday during which the court’s nine justices at times were visibly frustrated with answers from both sides.
Since 2014, the state has been held in contempt by the court for lack of progress on satisfying a 2012 ruling that found that it was not adequately funding schools.
8 a.m.
The Washington state Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on whether the state has met its constitutional requirement to fully fund K-12 education.
Tuesday morning’s hearing is on whether the state should still be held in contempt for lack of progress on satisfying a 2012 ruling that found that school funding was not adequate. Lawmakers needed a funded plan in place this year ahead of a Sept. 1, 2018 deadline the court had set.
The plan approved and signed by Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this year relies largely on an increase to the statewide property tax that starts next year. The tax increases from $1.89 to $2.70 per $1,000 of assessed value, with the increase earmarked for education. The plan - which keeps in place local property tax levies but caps them beginning in 2019 at a lower level- will ultimately raise property taxes for some districts and lower them in others.
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