Today's Education Hero: Rep. Joel Kretz of the 7th LD

Rep. Kretz is a Republican who represents the 7th LD, which covers everything north of Spokane to the Canadian border, and from Idaho to the Okanogan Valley. Geographically the largest in Washington, it's also a district where any cuts to levy equalization (LEA) would be the most profoundly felt, and Rep. Kretz has been leading the charge to preserve this vital funding for small school districts.

As exhibit 1, check out his 2009 session newsletter (which I hope to be able to link to shortly). Fully half of it is devoted to HB1776 and levy equalization, including a list of every school district he represents and what the Governor's proposed cuts to LEA would have meant for them.

Exhibit 2, this editorial published in the Pend O'Reille Miner on levy equalization, which gets to the heart of the issue in as clear and succinct a way as you're ever going to find. It was also published in the Davenport Times, which is where I first encountered it.

If there is a special session in October where levy equalization is attacked, again, it's good to know that we have people like Joel Kretz fighting the good fight.