Do the kids come first?

Supplemental levy elections are over in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls for another two years, but much of the debate surrounding this year's campaigns will last well beyond then.

A few post-election thoughts:

n Proponents argue that failure to pass school levies presents a big barrier for economic development. The reasoning goes that prospective employers want a community that supports local education; that's important for a strong workforce and is good for transferring employees who want a solid education for their children.

But for the sake of balance, there's another side to that coin: A big barrier to economic development is runaway property taxes. Businesses don't want to relocate to a place with rapidly rising taxes, and those who already live and work there will have diminishing power to purchase products, which ultimately impacts jobs and pay scales.

n Labelling does nobody any good. Just because somebody voted against the levy doesn't mean they're "anti-education" or, worse, "anti-children." And just because somebody supported the levies doesn't mean they're "tax-and-spend liberals" or "out of touch with the mainstream public."

We know fine citizens who ardently support public education but did not approve of these levy requests. We also know fine citizens who aren't sure they can make their next mortgage payment but voted "yes" on Tuesday.

n Questions nobody can answer but have made for some lively coffee shop chatter:

* What percentage of the overall "yes" votes came from school district employees whose livelihoods are most directly affected by the outcome, and what percentage of the "no" votes came from senior citizens who wouldn't approve a tax increase of any size, shape or color?

* Did the complex two-part request help or hurt Coeur d'Alene?

* Did the statewide Students Come First school reform measures help the levies' cause, hurt them or play no part in the vote?

n Kids tend to take their cues from parents and other adults they respect. We believe that the manner in which adults consistently treat children - hopefully with respect, love, nurturing and unbridled encouragement - means much, much more than how much money is spent on the children.

So if the levy vote didn't go your way, buck up and take the most positive approach to educating them you possibly can.

Then you really can say, "It's for the children."