YAKIMA, Wash. -- What does it mean locally that the state Legislature won’t hold a special session this year?

Well, right off the bat it means a plan to reduce school levy equalization funding won’t move forward. That’s good news for local schools.

Levy equalization, which provides state matching funds to bolster property-poor districts’ levy collections, is a significant factor in school budgets in the Yakima Valley.

According to legislative staff reports, the change would have reduced funding for the Yakima School District by more than $1 million in fiscal year 2010 and by about $1.9 million in 2011. In Sunnyside it would have reduced funding by about $473,000 in 2010 and about $878,000 in 2011.

No special session means no change, which means no reductions in levy equalization dollars locally. For now at least.

- Pat Muir