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School chief fields questions on operating levy
(by Sue Hoffman - April 21, 2010)
School chief fields questions on operating levy
By SUE HOFFMAN
Members of the public asked questions on topics ranging from salary freezes to illegal students at a town-hall meeting Monday at Solon High School.
In addition to answering questions from four residents, School Superintendent Joseph V. Regano explained why the 6.9-mill school levy on the May 4 ballot is necessary.
The levy is not a case of the Solon School District outspending its resources, Mr. Regano said. "This levy is a critical funding need for the district. The State of Ohio provides only 4.32 percent of district funding -- that's only $671 per student."
He said the district has reduced its expenditures by $3.3 million over the past five years. "From 1995 to 2008, Solon's overall annual increases in per-pupil expenses were only 3.71 percent, the 25th lowest among Cuyahoga County's 31 school districts."
The town-hall meeting was held in addition to more than two dozen coffees in neighborhoods to give people an opportunity to ask about the levy. Several school officials and a few teachers also attended the town-hall meeting.
Susan Klein, whose children have graduated from the school district, asked Mr. Regano if he had approached the employees' bargaining units regarding a salary freeze. "We're all in very difficult economic times," she said. "I know people who the last couple of years have taken pay cuts, freezes, and in fact, many people have lost their jobs."
She said she has studied the district's five-year forecast. "I see the biggest problem as the increases in salaries," which amount to 6 percent over three years. She said, with a pay freeze, the district could get through another year "pretty comfortably."
Ms. Klein asked Mr. Regano, "Have you gone back to your employees and said, 'Look, these are unusual times. Unlike many people, you've seen raises. How about if we have a pay freeze?'"
Mr. Regano said he disagreed that a pay freeze could have forestalled a levy because of other factors, such as the phase out of tangible personal property tax, but he did, in fact, approach the bargaining units as she suggested. The problem is that the negotiated agreements are in place until 2011, and changes in public employees' salaries lag behind the private sector by two years, he said.
"There's great reluctance by the bargaining units to change contracts in place," he said. "The leadership respectfully declined. They have the right to do that and the responsibility to do it differently in the next one. I think our teachers will be responsible to do the right thing."
Mr. Regano said the district will slash $800,000 a year from its budget to keep the levy at 6.9 mills at a time when the district's valuation has declined.
This amount will be absorbed by reductions in salary and benefits by the bargaining units, he said.
Resident Steve Berlin, whose children went through the Solon School District, praised Solon teachers and asked Mr. Regano if there were students attending the district illegally.
Mr. Regano said the district used a grant to hire a person to check residency. All new residents are checked to make sure the students are legal, he said.
"Almost everyone starts legally," he said, but something happens "along the way -- a divorce, a change of jobs, something that takes one parent out of the community and not another. There are about 22 exceptions" to residency requirements, he said. Parents call the school board and file those exceptions, or the district sends a person out to recheck residency, he said. "All our documentation is current.
"A parent may see a student being dropped off at a bus stop," he said. "Their position is that student's illegal. If mom and dad have split and one parent is in Solon and the other parent lives in Cleveland Heights and they have dual custody, that child can go to either school district. It's not where the child lives, it's where the parent resides."
"We would ask any resident who feels that a student is attending illegally to let us know," he said. "We'll let them know what we find out."
Resident Kathy Cunningham asked why Twinsburg and other cities are getting more dollars from the state. She said people are confused why Solon's getting such a small amount.
Mr. Regano said the amount received is dependent on the wealth of the district, and those districts with less money receive more from the state.
Karlo Hemerlein, a junior at Solon High School, questioned the need for permanent cuts in consumer science positions at the middle school.
Mr. Regano said the district needed to make permanent reductions, whether or not the levy passes, and consolidated and revamped electives and specials at the middle school.
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