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Need for Chardon school levy called 'critical'
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - December 22, 2010)
Need for Chardon school levy called 'critical'
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Chardon Board of Education has a tough decision to make and not much time to do it.
School Superintendent Joseph Bergant II called on the board Monday to get ready for discussions on another attempt at the ballot, a discussion he called "critical."
Mr. Bergant told the board it's facing a short time line to decide whether to go for another levy on the May 3 ballot. The board has until Feb. 2 to file for the May ballot, he said.
The board last attempted a 4.29-mill, five-year levy last November that voters rejected by a 5,585-3,350 margin. An attempt at an earned-income-tax levy failed before that by a similar margin.
Mr. Bergant said the district has historically sought levies that carry it for five years.
He said he has heard from a number of families with young children just starting their education who fear that the district will begin to regress without an influx of money.
Mr. Bergant said people often talk of the quality of education the district provides, but it will be forced to begin dismantling that quality without new money coming in.
He said he would prefer to go to the ballot in May, but passage of a levy is needed this year at some time to forego further cuts that will impact that quality. "If we don't, it won't be a pretty picture," Mr. Bergant said.
School board member Larry Reiter said it is up to the board now to decide what is the appropriate amount for the ballot. He said it comes at a time when the State of Ohio is facing an $8 billion shortfall in its budget. He said the district can "almost bank" on seeing another 10 percent cut in funding from the state, although an 18 percent or 20 percent cut may be coming.
Mr. Bergant said, if the cut is 18 percent, that means a loss of $990,000 for the district, the equivalent of 2 mills.
"The hole is getting deeper, and it puts us in a difficult position in the eyes of the public," Mr. Reiter said.
Mr. Bergant said the only good news is that the state may be offering a two-year waiver for all-day kindergarten, which would cost the district $290,000 to implement. He said he also is hoping Gov.-elect John Kasich will make good on his promise to get rid of some of the unfunded mandates facing schools.
School board member Paul Stefanko said, while he can appreciate young parents who would like to see the district grow at this time, he understands there are others in the community who are hurting in this economy. "Unfortunately, public school systems have to be sensitive and aware of the community's ability to pay," he said.
He said he believes that there are people in the district who may want to help the schools but just cannot financially do it. He said it is difficult for families that are bringing in less money to make further sacrifices to help the district.
Mr. Stefanko previously cited statistics from the mid-2000s that showed the average incomes in the area had fallen by 4 percent. He said he believes statistics for 2008 and 2009 that will be available in February will show that incomes have continued to drop.
"It's not a won't; it's a can't," he said of the public's ability to pay.
Board President Blake Rear said the country has not seen such a dismal economy like this in the past 80 years, with people losing their jobs and homes. "It's not that people don't want to fund the schools; it's that they can't," he said.
He said the economy has shown little improvement from when voters last rejected the district levy attempt in November. "It's grim," Mr. Rear said.
Board member Deborah Seenarine Wilson said the board faces a difficult decision with the poor economy and threats of state cuts. "No matter what we do, there's no good answer," she said.
Mr. Rear said seeing another loss at the polls only means that the district has to seek bigger and bigger levies to make up for losses. He said every time a levy fails, the district is forced to make cuts. Then, he said, the district must seek even more money from the public to restore those cuts.
Mr. Rear lamented the fact that school districts are forced to deal with Ohio House Bill 920, which restricts them district from collecting more money than approved by voters, even if there is economic growth in the district. He said the district would not have had to seek a levy since 1976, if it were not for H.B. 920.
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