R-52uesday! Saving Scrilla!

Last week I left ya’ll with the notion that turning saved energy into saved money, is perhaps an equally important outcome of the bad-ass-future-saving Referendum 52. Indeed for Aberdeen School District’s business manager, Tom Laufmann, saving cash through R-52 is his primary interest:

Philosophically, we should say it’s better for the planet.. But it’s about the money. We’re so short on money anyway, we don’t want to pay any more on utility bills than we have to.

Although we may be passionate going green, we always gotta remember the other green; keep the wise words of the Wu in mind (CREAM). This week I wanted to share some stories where energy-retrofits, just like the ones that will come with R-52, have helped schools save some dolla dolla bills, while cleaning up the environment at the same time.

Kiona-Benton School District

The district was not even thinking about energy retrofits until they spotted energy efficiency grants being dished out by the state. This inspired them to hire a company called Quantum to give their K-8 building the once-over. Quantum laid out what would be the most cost effective, and the state  bit into their suggestions like the juicy locally grown apple you gave your kindergarten teacher. Lighting, heating, and cooling systems were updated to be more modern and energy efficient. The cost? $380,000 total. This is important, because this sort of money is virtually impossible for local school districts to get their hands on (the district paid $150,000 in this case), which is why we need the force and funding of R52 to make it happen. We need not worry about R52 emptying the state’s wallet either, because repairing school buildings is expected to save the state $610,000 in new construction costs over 8 years, or more than $75,000/year on average. But back to the local – the Kiona-Benton school district will now be saving $20,000 annually, from repairing just one school building.

Burlington-Edison School District

In 2002 the district retrofitted lighting, water and ventilation systems at two schools and the district office building. The project cost $323,000, $278 thousand of which was paid by the district. Now the district is saving an estimated $35,500 each year. They’ll be counting stacks beyond their costs in only 8 years. And wait.. I think that means we’re using less energy too. Gettin’ paid to save the world… sounds kind of like working for the Bus.

Aberdeen School District

What about our buddy Mr. Laufman? How did he fare in his sustainable quest for cash-money? Well, retrofitting a school heater alone saves about $30,000 every freakin’ year. They also decided to switch out to more efficient lighting in the school gym. We are still waiting on numbers for energy savings, but students and faculty are already diggin it.

——

You don't even want to know what I can do with a trowel.

There you have it. Schools are already making it happen. Imagine what they could do with R-52 in place! Thanks for joining me for another Bustastic R-52uesday. I love having you all ❤

Shout out to the Sightline Institute for hooking up so much good info on the Referendum 52. The Bus will drive over soon for a many-handed-high-five. For those who haven’t checked them out yet, clickity clickity.

See the previous posts on R-52: Introduction, Kids Getting Smarter, Saving the Future

Sometimes you think, “health care? Not that important.” Other times you have a gaping headwound

The sequel to last week’s Babies for 1098 video has arrived! This time – a friendly message from your local bread-faced head-trauma victim about our favorite initiative -1098:

And for the sake of less clicking on your part here is the prequel – the Baby –

Auburnin’ down the house

The Bus and the Talking Heads usually get along great, but we differ on one minor point.  That is, we think Auburnin’ down the house makes so much sense.  That’s why the real live Washington Bus is rolling out for the final time this year for Auburn, Washington’s legislative champion – one Claudia Kauffman.  For convenience sake, let’s make a checklist.  Claudia is:

–       The highest ranking female Native American in the country – Check

–       Vice chair of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee – Check

–       Recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence – Check

–       Your new best friend – potential check

 

Makes so much sense in the legislature

 

Come join us for a great party and a great cause. RSVP to Bust a Move for Claudia!

Babies for 1098

Initiative 1098 is all the buzz right now.  We’ve just discovered the most compelling case for 1098 yet – a baby:

Do it for the children

Luchador? Robin Hood? Definitely a Hero.

 

 

They don't just give those belts away

 

When the general election ballots make it to your door, you will find the usual alphabet soup (do they make numeric soup?) of ballot measures. It can definitely get confusing, and those little blurbs on the actual ballot are usually just enough to remind you that you don’t know what the heck it’s all about. Ten ninety who? R fifty cent? Never fear, the Bus has got wheels so we’ve got a head start towards the whole initiative circus, and its looking much clearer now. We’ve already given a nod, a nudge and a wink to Referendum 52, one of this year’s ballot heroes. Now meet its best friend, the awe-inspiring Initiative 1098, who is here to save Washington’s future in a big big way.

I-1098 will set up a trust fund for education (BOOM), health care (BAM), and middle class tax relief (KAPOW), a true investment in the future of Washington. And the investment is substantial – over $2 billion is expected to be accrued to the fund every year. Our state education system would be seeing an extra billion dollars every year, health care would benefit from roughly a half-billion, and the remaining would allow for tax relief for property owners and nearly 90% of businesses. These aren’t numbers I pulled out of a hat (that was indeed a rabbit); local experts such as the Economic Opportunity Institute, Sightline Institute, Our American Generation, and the Washington State Budget and Policy Center have all done their homework. Follow each link to see what those folks have got to say about 1098; the Economic Opportunity Institute in particular is on their shizznat. You can also check out the measure with your own spectacles here.

The “Education, Health Care, and Middle Class Tax Relief Fund” will get its cash flow from a modest-income tax on the wealthiest 1.2% of Washingtonians. Individuals will still have zilch income tax until they make at least $200,000/year, or $400,000 for couples filing jointly. The income tax will be a marginal tax rate set at 5%, which means only income above and beyond that mark is taxed (so if you make $200,001 in a year, your annual income tax will add up to a whopping one nickel). The marginal rate increases to 9% for incomes above $500,000/year, or $1 million for couples. Predictably, this concept of creating a new tax has sparked quite a bit of debate around the fairness of this measure (someone should hide those barrels of tea at the port). However, the idea that 1098 will hurt entrepreneurship or punish rich people is way-dumbed-down way of looking at it. 1098 is about fixing an unfair tax system, not piling on the taxes. Not to mention Washington State is currently ranked dead last in tax fairness in the whole country.

R-52uesday! Rescuing the Future!

 

R-52 enjoying a day in nature. Still in pose.

 

Last time I rapped at ya, I mentioned that Referendum 52 is all different sorts of awesome for our student’s learning environment.  Well, it turns out it is equally awesome for Washington’s natural environment – predominately by reducing energy use. When we pass R-52, hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians will be gainfully employed to retrofit our state’s public schools. This means: new-fangled lighting, appliances, water-fixtures in schools, perpetually requiring less energy than their rusty old predecessors. Energy efficiency also stands to be improved simply from modernizing air circulation and insulation within our schools, 45% of which haven’t been updated since 1969.

Saving energy is a direct benefit to the environment at large because 17% our electricity in Washington is produced by our one remaining coal plant in Centralia. Factoring the potential energy savings from R-52 into the reality of coal production, we will be reducing our State’s CO2 output the equivalent of taking 130,000 cars off the road (meanwhile reducing other nasty byproducts of coal plants as well). The referendum explicitly prioritizes projects with the highest projected energy savings over the following 10 years.

For a more localized picture, we can also look to health benefits within our own urban/suburban environments. For the same reasons we will see students learning easier, retrofitting schools also improves the condition of the school-environment. Studies have repeatedly shown that energy efficient schools reduce the incidence of the flu and asthma attacks. This is a direct environmental benefit for Washington’s young folks and teachers.

One could also judge the benefit of reducing energy-related pollution by the reduction of energy costs to our schools. For some taking this monetary outlook is a necessity. Aberdeen School District’s business manager, Tom Laufmann, admits that counting bills is most important to him:

Philosophically, we should say it’s better for the planet.. But it’s about the money. We’re so short on money anyway, we don’t want to pay any more on utility bills than we have to.

Although we may be passionate about the importance of environmental improvements, Laufmann’s outlook is still effective for saving energy.  It’s always great when economic and environmental benefits go hand in hand.  Every dollar saved on energy via retrofits translates to less energy use and a cleaner environment. Tune in next week to hear stories from the Evergreen state where schools are already saving cash and saving the future at the same time.

See the other posts on R-52: Introduction, Kids Getting Smarter, Saving Scrilla

Freaky Fashion Friday

Here at the Bus’s fashion department (basically me and Toby of course) we appreciate the finer things in life.

That includes a sweet ride (public transit) and fancy delicatessens (tacos).

Here is the first post of my weekly Halloween costume hootenanny leading up to Trick or Vote. Send in your own awesome costume photos to costumes@washingtonbus.org – the more embarrassing the better!

Enjoy the greasy goodness…

I can't find the salsa

A simple equation

Claudia Kauffman

Robo-hula

= Best Bus Trip Ever (and limited web-graphic ability).  That’s right folks, the Bus dance party people (i.e. you) will be assembling on Saturday, October 16th to Bus(t) a move for Senator Claudia Kauffman!  There shall be food, there shall be friends, there shall be a great cause, and there shall be an elaborately choreographed group dance exhibition performed by the Bus staff – life is complete. RSVP right here!

Claudia is an all-star legislator in Washington’s all-star 47th district (Kent/Auburn) and we’ve got a great opportunity to help her out.  She is also the highest ranking female Native American elected official in the US of A!  That right there is worth a dance party.  Sign up and break it down!

Here’s what to do:

1) Sign up (above)

2) Count the days until October 16th

3) Change out of your blog reading clothes (jorts and a cowboy hat)

4) Put on your dancing clothes (morphsuits encouraged)

5) Bus(t) a Move and help an amazing legislator move Washington forward!

Here’s a little warmup for you:

Look what’s coming…

Each and every year, the Bus asks you one all-important, vital-to-the-good-of-society question: do you like candy? And the answer is, of course, yes. You love candy. You also love getting it for free… and also getting thousands of young people to vote.

All this can add up to only one thing: Trick or Vote is lurking just around the corner!

‘Tis true. The biggest non-partisan costumed get-out-the-vote canvass/candy party in Washington is back in action! This year is going to be the biggest, best, and all-around spookiest (here we go with Halloween puns, yes, already) Trick or Vote Washington has ever seen – no matter where you live in Washington, you’re near a Trick or Vote! Spokane? Hell yeah. Vancouver? Believe it. Seattle? Trick or Voting like a boss.

That means you and this year, you’ve got tons of options! Want to find the nearest Trick or Vote to you? Just go here and enter your zip code – you can RSVP right then and there. Want to be a Trick or Vote Captain or a Trick or Trainer? Most excellent! We want you too! RSVP just the same, and we’ll get you going from there!

As always, Trick or Vote is ALL AGES, and is going down on October 31st. Because we love parties, we’re throwing parties (see how that works?) after the Trick or Voting has gone down. Keep your eyes peeled for the performers and venues to be announced!

Halloween: not just for kids anymore, amirite??? RSVP today!

Bigger, scarier, and better than ever!

The big dudes

Is there a brisk fall breeze in the air? Is the Bus referencing late 70s B movies again? These tell-tale signs can only mean one thing: it’s time to sign up for Trick or Vote!  It’s back, baby! And it’s coming for you!

Sign up right now!

Trick or Vote is:

a) Awesomely fun – it’s you and three hundred of your closest friends, in costume, getting candy, loving a free all ages show, and reminding people to vote mere days before election day!

b) Awesomely big – this year we have Trick or Votes running in Seattle, Spokane and Vancouver, which means you’ve got options!

And finally, c) awesomely effective – this year Trick or Vote is in support of the two heroes of this year’s crowded initiative list, 1098 and R 52!

Let’s review: big, fun, effective, scary, spooky, all ages, candy-loving, and packed to the brim with good music and good people. Flawless victory.

Here’s what to do: sign up for Trick or Vote today (right now!). Done.

And what makes Trick or Voting even more fun? Trick or Voting with a crew of friends, of course! Sign up to be a captain, and bring your crew and a car!

Watch this space for more details about bands, parties and all that goodness, and sign up now!

It’s just like that. Only in Seattle. And everyone loves each other. CAN YOU DIG IT?