VOTE NO Ridgefield Prop #12 & #13
See Past Ridgefield Levies
2019 - $21,194,798 - APPROVED
2022 -$31,076,934 - APPROVED
2025 -$65,255,000 - February 2025 (Prop 12 = $44M & Prop 13 = $21M)
2017 to 2023-24 Budget Numbers
Overall budget
2023-24 $71M (page 25)
2022-23 $61 M (page 8)
(2nd Teachers' strike of 2022, a $20M budget increase follows)
2021-22 $51M
2019-20 $45 M (page 43)
(1st Teachers' strike of 2018, a $17M budget increase follows)
2017-18 $34M
69% budget expansion since 2019 while student enrollment only grows 18% (2019 =3,499 & 2023 = 4,134 OSPI data shows)
Academic Performance 2017-18 to 2023-24
% of students met grade level standards (proficiency)
2023-24 2017-18
Language Arts - 62.3% 72.2%
Mathematics - 50.3% 62.3%
Science- 56.1%
READ Articles on Ridgefield Levies
Ridgefield Levy Charts
REJECT PROP 12 - Ridgefield School Levy
The “Replacement” Is A Big Tax Increase
The proposed levy is Not just a replacement but a significant 41.7% increase, raising total revenues collected from $31 million approved in 2022 to $44 million in 2025. If both proposed levies pass, you’ll see a huge 72.7% increase in the tax rates, from $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value to $2.59. For a $750,000 home, this means annual taxes for the levy would increase by $817—an enormous burden during a time of economic uncertainty.
Better Funding Has Not Lead To Better Results
Despite ever-increasing funding, Ridgefield schools have failed to deliver meaningful results. Only 64% of elementary students are proficient in reading, and just 52% in math. These outcomes expose a system that prioritizes spending increases over academic success. For years, taxpayers have invested more and more money with little to no improvements in student’s academic outcomes.
Salaries Have Increased But Academic Scores Have Not
District leadership prioritizes satisfying teacher union demands and advancing misguided agendas over students' basic academic success. The illegal teacher strike in 2022 disrupted classrooms, ballooned salaries and further eroded public trust in the district’s ability to manage funds responsibly. These failures must not be rewarded with more taxpayer money.
Taxpayers and students deserve better. This levy perpetuates waste and poor performance. Reject Proposition 12 and demand accountability and real progress.
REJECT PROP 13 - Ridgefield School Capital & Technology Levy
A Very Expensive Levy That Looks Like A Bond
Public school funding is intentionally confusing, and Ridgefield’s proposed “Capital and Technology Levy” is no exception. This $21 million new spending proposal, when combined with Proposition 12, would more than double school taxes, increasing from $31 million in 2022 to $65 million in 2025—an eye-popping 110% increase. Tax rates would rise by 72.7%, from $1.50 to $2.59 per $1,000 of assessed value. For a $750,000 home, this means an additional $817, bringing the total school tax burden to $2,715 per year ($3.62 - total bonds and levies approved).
Shockingly, only 7% of this levy will go toward technology expenses, primarily to maintain existing staff and student devices. The rest would fund projects previously rejected by voters, including the high school track resurfacing and turf replacement. This levy functions like a bond measure repackaged as a levy to pass with a simple majority, instead of the required 60%.
More Promises, Same Results
Despite promises of innovation, Ridgefield schools continue to struggle with poor academic performance. Increasing funding for technology has not improved results. Taxpayers have funded laptops and Chromebooks for years, yet only 64% of elementary students are proficient in reading, and just 52% meet math standards. There is no evidence this additional spending will address these systemic issues.
Ridgefield students and taxpayers deserve better. Vote NO on Proposition 13 and demand accountability from the district.
EXPOSED: Ridgefield School Officials Promote Citizens For Ridgefield Schools - PDC Complaint Filed
The Ridgefield School District (RSD) has officially crossed the line—or at least that's what a formal complaint I filed (1/7/25) with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) alleges. At a November 2024 town hall, Superintendent Dr. Jenny Rodriquez and school board members openly discussed their cozy relationship with Citizens For Ridgefield Schools (CFRS), a nonprofit historically at the forefront of levy and bond campaigns in the district. What they likely didn’t expect was just how blatant their statements would come across.
For those not aware, the district is asking taxpayers to dig even deeper into their wallets this year, proposing yet another round of levies. One of the two levies is being promoted as just a "replacement." But it’s more than that—a 41% increase in revenue collected, largely due to two illegal teacher strikes over the years. The other levy is essentially a repackaged bond that has failed multiple times but is now being rebranded as a "levy" to pass with a simple majority rather than the supermajority required for bonds. Clever, right?
But now, there's a bigger problem: The school district apparently violated state law by using public resources to actively promote levy campaigns and recruit for CFRS, a clear violation of RCW 42.17A.555.
What’s in the Complaint?
The formal PDC complaint filed paints a troubling picture of coordination between RSD and CFRS. Among the most egregious examples:
1Promotion of Citizens For Ridgefield Schools (CFRS)
Superintendent Rodriquez and Board Chair Brett Jones couldn’t stop name-dropping CFRS during the meeting (over ten references by my count). Jones called the group the typical “platform” for levy campaigns and encouraged community members to “step in” and support it. Rodriquez went further, admitting she’d met with one of CFRS’ board members, any possibly others, to discuss the levies which included campaign ideas.
2Active Recruitment for CFRS
Rodriquez acknowledged that CFRS had “lost some board members” and encouraged attendees to fill those positions. Board Member Jake Bredstrand even suggested inviting a CFRS representative to speak about getting involved—a clear plug for the organization, to which a CFRS board member in attendance obliged.
3Coordination with CFRS Leadership
Rodriquez’s admission that she met with a CFRS officer raises red flags about improper collaboration. The superintendent of a public school district isn’t just discussing “information-sharing” when she’s actively recruiting board members and strategizing with a nonprofit that openly campaigns for levies. Even more damning, when a member of the public asked, “Last time around you used the nonprofit Citizens For Ridgefield but I haven't heard a word of them yet... so, who's going to be doing the campaign?” the board didn’t deny the premise of his question. Instead, they nodded in agreement and answered as if it was an accurate assessment of their relationship with CFRS.
4Admitted Awareness of Legal Boundaries
Here’s the kicker: Rodriquez acknowledged the district’s strict obligations under PDC rules. “We have really strict rules from the Public Disclosure Commission,” she said, before proceeding to discuss CFRS’ role and levy strategies anyway. Knowing the rules and then flouting them makes this all the more egregious.
Why This Matters
Clearly, this isn’t just about one slip-up at a meeting. This shows a pattern of behavior that insiders have long suspected: RSD officials working hand-in-glove with CFRS to push their levy agenda.The complaint exposes what many have whispered about for years—that this close relationship is an open secret, and now it’s not so secret anymore.
Before filing, I reached out to Glen Morgan (wethegoverned.com), who’s filed several PDC complaints regarding Ridgefield and CFRS. Glen wasn’t surprised at all and encouraged me to file this complaint.
Glen pointed out that under RCW 42.17A.555, public resources can’t be used to promote or oppose ballot measures. Yet, based on what was said at the town hall, RSD appears to treat CFRS as their unofficial campaign arm, using public meetings to recruit for them, promote their work, and pave the way for their campaigns.
Does this surprise anyone, coming from the same school district that has had not one but TWO illegal teacher strikes in less than five years?
The Bigger Picture: The Levies and the Opposition
This year, RSD is asking voters to approve two levies: a "replacement" Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy and a Technology and Capital Projects levy. The truth is that RSD’s spending is out of control. Over the past five years, the operational budget has skyrocketed by 69%, while academic performance remains underwhelming. It raises the question: Where is the money going?
Taxpayers are also wary of the district's history of mismanagement and lack of transparency. Add this latest PDC complaint to the mix, and you have a growing sense that RSD officials are more focused on “selling” levies than addressing the root problems in Ridgefield schools and respecting the voters. At one point in the meeting, Brett Jones implored the audience, "Sell this. This is a sales job. You have to sell this to somebody who doesn't want to pay more taxes." Sounds like a clear violation by using his position, the official meeting and school resources to support the levy measures.
What Happens Next?
The PDC will review the complaint and decide whether RSD crossed the line. If violations are confirmed, the district could face penalties, and CFRS might be forced to answer tough questions about its role.
For Ridgefield taxpayers, this should be a wake-up call. It’s not just about whether the levies pass—it’s about holding RSD accountable for how they operate. This latest revelation exposes a culture of disregard for rules, which should not be tolerated.
If the board directors have an ounce of integrity—and are proven guilty of breaking the law—they should resign, including Superintendent Rodriquez for her egregious lapse in judgment and example she's set for all of RSD and students.