Washington's Constitution, Education Article IX Section 1: "It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provisions for the education of all children..." Section 2 Public School System provides "...the entire revenue derived from the common school fund and the state tax for common schools shall be exclusively applied to support of the common schools."

If so, then why did all 39 Washington counties arbitrarily change the wording in their property tax statements to just "state"? Until 1998 and 1999, property tax statements said "State School Support" along with "Local School Support" printed below which gave full disclosure to compare both school taxes levied on property owners.

Whatever the political or real reasons, it would seem it was done to obfuscate and deceive taxpayers that some of the "State" tax might not go exclusively to the schools. This would be contrary to the constitution.

This "Clintonese," what does "it" mean, type of word play is similar to recent school districts that didn't like the negative connotations of "excess" levies. They arbitrarily changed the levy ballot titles to "additional" levies, hoping to minimize future school levy rejections.

This April, all property taxpayers need to inspect their tax statements and add up both of their school tax amounts. Seattle school taxes for 1999 are almost 100 percent the amount of state funding. Bothell and Shoreline schools are getting very close to 200 percent more than the "State" school funding.

These questions need answers from your county council members and state legislators.

-FRED BUCKE,

Roosevelt