Article published August 05, 2009
Oregon levy voted down; Woodmore passes; Pike-Delta-York, Findlay fail
Victor Edwards votes on Oregon City Schools' 5.95-mill emergency levy request at the Oregon Library.
(
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
)
|
By JULIE M. McKINNON
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Voters yesterday overwhelmingly rejected Oregon City Schools' request for a 5.95-mill emergency levy, which would have raised enough money to keep the financially troubled district in the black for two years, unofficial election results show.
Woodmore Local, Pike-Delta-York Local, and Findlay City Schools also had levies on the ballot during yesterday's special election. While Woodmore's tax request was approved by voters, levies for Pike-Delta-York and Findlay schools failed, according to unofficial results released last night.
Oregon Superintendent Mike Zalar said the board will meet tonight to analyze election results and discuss options, including putting a levy request on the November ballot.
Nearly 30 percent of registered voters cast their ballots, with 3,605 voting against the tax request and 1,119 voting for it.
"That's disappointing," Mr. Zalar said last night.
"I think it's a good indication of the overall state of the economy."He added: "Our people in our community are really feeling the pain of a bad economy."
For the upcoming school year, Oregon school officials have cut $3.5 mil-lion from the budget, including laying off about 15 percent of employees. No further cutbacks will need to be made immediately because of the levy failure, but either additional tax revenues or more cutbacks will be needed for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years, he said.
Patricia Pokryzwa, left, is assisted by elections officials Nancy Pratt, seated, and JoAnn Gresham at the Oregon Library. Voters yesterday defeated an emergency school levy request.
(
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
)
|
The 10-year emergency levy would have raised $3.6 million a year for the Oregon district and cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $182 a year.
Reaction was mixed yesterday among Oregon residents voting at Fassett Middle School, especially because existing district taxes already are hurting their wallets. In March, 2008, Oregon voters approved a 5.9-mill continual operating levy that generates about $3.5 million a year and costs the owner of a $100,000 house $181 a year.
In recent months, Oregon has cut 32 teaching, 40 staff, and two administrative positions in the face of dwindling revenues, primarily from taxes.
It also has eliminated 10 bus routes, and teachers and other staff have agreed to again forgo pay increases and contribute more toward their medical insurance coverage.
The school district needs to make more cuts, such as cutting teacher salaries, transportation, and sports, some voters said yesterday.
Yet Steve Nagy said he voted for the tax request because he wants his sons, Jack Nagy, a freshman, and Jay Nagy, an eighth grader, to be able to enjoy extracurricular activities.
"My kids are currently enrolled, and I want to keep sports afloat and the things of that nature going for them," he said.
Erica Abair, however, said she voted against the levy, although she also has a daughter, Addison Laberdee, in sixth grade.
"I want her to be able to have all the things she needs, but I also feel that the taxes have already been raised quite a bit," she said.
Teachers should have taken pay cuts to prevent some layoffs, said voter Jim Ellerbush, who also complained about tax increases.
"I don't feel that the teachers protected their own brothers and sisters," he said.
Oregon, Woodmore, and Pike-Delta-York school districts all have been financially hurt by Ohio House Bill 66, which is gradually eliminating personal tangible property taxes on the value of business equipment and inventory.
Woodmore's 5.9-mill emergency operating levy that was approved yesterday by a vote of 716 for and 630 against will raise $829,000 annually. It replaces a 4.9-mill levy expiring at the end of this year and will cost the owner of a $100,000 house an additional $47 a year.
"It's just wonderful, because it will keep us from making devastating cuts," Woodmore Superintendent Jane Garling said last night.
Pike-Delta York wanted to raise $900,000 a year in operating funds for five years with a 6-mill emergency levy. The levy, which garnered 1,200 votes against and 475 votes for, would have cost the owner of a $100,000 house $183 a year.
Findlay City requested a 4.4-mill, 28-year bond issue, which would have been used to build and equip two new middle schools and a new Millstream Career and Technology Center at a cost of $54.2 million.
The millage would have cost the owner of a $100,000 house $135 per year, and apparently 3,704 residents voted against the tax request while 3,223 voted for it, according to unofficial results posted last night.
Contact Julie M. McKinnon at:
jmckinnon@theblade.com
or 419-724-6087.
Permanent Link
|
|
 |
|
Search
advertisement
