Beavercreek Superintendent Nick Verhoff called the 6.7-mill emergency levy that would generate $10.9 million annually “absolutely critical.” “If we can’t increase revenue, our only other option is to make cuts to our expenditures,” he said.
“Unfortunately, those cuts are going straight into the classroom,” he said.
Verhoff said the district will have to make $2.5 million in cuts if the levy fails, which would be on top of $13 million cut from actual and planned programs and services in the last year.
Mad River Local Schools Superintendent Necia Nicholas said failure of its additional 5.9-mill levy that would generate about $1.4 million annually for current expenses could result in “catastrophic consequences” in the form of more teacher and staff reductions and cuts in art, music and athletics.
Voters there rejected similar levies in August and November.
“We have a lot of great support behind us but the thing that hurts is times are tough out there,” Mad River spokeswoman Jenny Birtle said.
The district has cut $4 million from the budget, including 77 positions during the last two years. Those cuts included 53 teachers and certified staff, five administrators and 19 classified positions such as teacher aides, secretaries and custodial staff.
Passage of a levy this year would not recoup any of those jobs, but would prevent deeper cuts in the future, Treasurer Jerry Ellender said.
Beavercreek
In Beavercreek, the new cuts would include elective and special services classes and eliminating about 25 staff positions, including administrators and teachers. The district already has cut 62 positions during the last 12 months, and has renegotiated contracts with its two unions to save about $4 million.
If the levy fails, pay-to-participate fees would increase and the current busing situation would continue, which Verhoff said saves about $400,000 annually. Beavercreek eliminated busing for high-schoolers and reduced busing for middle-schoolers after the levy failed in November.
If this levy passes, busing would return to prior levels for the 2012-13 school year.
Jaimie Crawford, the mother of a Valley Elementary School student, said she thought the last levy failed because of misinformation.
“They thought Beavercreek was just mismanaging money, and didn’t really look at what the impact would be if it fails,” said Crawford, adding that the busing situation has been ridiculous. “The superintendent has clearly spelled it out.”
Verhoff said five community meetings and smaller gatherings at residents’ homes have been well-attended and have helped clarify the district’s financial need.
However, Tom Forsyth, whose wife and son graduated from Beavercreek Schools, said he believes Beavercreek and all local school districts have created the need for levies by spending too much on employee compensation.
“I’m not trying to hurt the schools; I’m trying to help them,” said Forsyth, who is against the levy. “I think just throwing more money at it is not the answer.”
Crawford said she is going to vote for the levy, which she believes will pass, and that all Beavercreek parents should do the same.
“They need to get out and support our schools,” she said. “Schools are a direct reflection of your neighborhood. If we don’t support schools, our community suffers.”
Mad River
Nicholas said the district is trying a new more personal approach to connect with the community and make sure “everyone is aware of why we have the need.”
Ellender said the Riverside district lost $2.3 million in state aid during the two-year period.
“What we are trying to get to is a break-even budget and we need the levy to help do that,” he said. “If we don’t pass the levy, we’re going to have to continue to make additional cuts the following year. We don’t know exactly what those are, but most likely they’d have to be more personnel, which means larger class sizes.”
Carlisle
Carlisle Local Schools is asking voters to approve a combination ballot issue like the one that failed in November by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent.
The bond issue, which is 8.53 mills, would cost the owner of a $100,000 house $21 per month, and the 0.75 percent income-tax increase for operations would generate $1.3 million annually.
If approved, the bond issue would raise $28.1 million locally and would allow the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission to contribute an additional $29.8 million for a new K-12 building that would open in the fall of 2015.
That $57.9 million also would cover the cost of renovations to the stadium, a new performing arts center, demolition, road improvements and landscaping.
If the combination levy is defeated, district officials say it would result in the loss of those state funds and $800,000 in additional cuts. Those cuts would include the elimination of nine teaching positions, classified positions and classroom aides; increased athletic and student fees; and a reduced bus route.
The district has cut $1.5 million from its budget the last five years, and was placed in fiscal watch by the Ohio Department of Education.
Life-long Carlisle resident Keith Shockley, 41, graduated from Carlisle High School. He and his wife have three young children, including a daughter in first grade.
Still, he plans to vote against the ballot issue like he did in November.
“I just feel like they’re wanting too much with 0.75 percent and they want to jack your property taxes up more,” he said.
Other school issues
Although they are not asking for more money, the levy renewals sought by local districts also are vital to those schools’ operations.
Fairborn City Schools is seeking renewal of an 8.4-mill emergency levy that was passed five years ago. It will continue to raise $5 million annually for district operations and help the district preserve educational programs that are in place.
“This renewal is extremely critical,” Treasurer Eric Beavers said. “Without it, we are immediately over $2 million in the red next school year” due to cuts in state aid and state reimbursements for the phased-out tangible personal property tax.
In Kettering City Schools, there is a 4.9-mill renewal levy for operations on the ballot. If passed, this will become a continuing levy, which means it would not have to be renewed again by voters.
This levy would generate $5.8 million in 2013, which is $900,000 less than when it was certified in 2007, due to falling property values. It will continue to cost $150.06 each year for the owner of a $100,000 home.
Oakwood City Schools and Brookville Local Schools also have renewal levies on the ballot. Oakwood is seeking to approve a five-year, 1.8-mill permanent improvement levy, while Brookville wants to renew its 5-mill, five-year levy for current expenses.
Staff writers Mark Gokavi and Steven Matthews contributed to this report.
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