The state Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has launched a formal investigation into Sensible Spending on Schools (SSOS) for illegally operating a campaign. Last fall, SSOS launched a campaign to defeat Highline’s capital improvement bond on the November ballot, but never filed financial records with the state, as required by law.

SSOS is accused of “failing to register and report as a political action committee in its efforts to oppose a Highline School District bond measure,” according to Philip Stutzman, PDC Director of Compliance.

State law requires individuals and groups that engage in political campaign activities to report revenue and expenditures as public records, so voters know who is backing or opposing measures and candidates.

“SSOS is hiding information from voters and violating the principle of free and fair elections,” said Lois Schipper, President of Highline Citizens for Schools. “It is time for SSOS to come out of the shadows and let voters know who they are and what they stand for.”

The November bond fell less than one percent short of passage, a margin of only 215 votes. If passed, the bond would have replaced deteriorating, out-of-date buildings with safe, modern schools; built two additional schools to relieve increasing overcrowding and make room for lower class sizes; and funded desperately-needed repairs and upgrades to schools across the district.

The Highline School Board has placed on the February 10 ballot a similar bond proposal, trimmed by $9 million, along with renewal of the district’s Educational Programs and Operations Levy, which pays for basic education needs not fully funded by the state.

Highline Citizens for Schools is supporting these ballot measures and has filed all required records with the PDC. Anyone wishing to volunteer or contribute to the campaign to support the bond and levy measures can donate at www.yesforhighline.org or mail a check to PO Box 48188, Burien, WA 98188

For more information on the bond and levy, go to www.highlineschools.org/bond or www.highlineschools.org/levy.