School levies: feel free to vent

johnandkristin · May 2011

Little Miami's school levy failed, again. Not that I am surprised, but I am disappointed. I have a pit in my stomach thinking about the future of education for our local schools and Ohio.

We're either going to put our house on the market (and pray that it will actually sell within 2 years), or we'll have to send our kids to private school (which we can't afford).

Moesten · May 2011

I'm sorry Kristin. It's so incredibly disappointing and frustrating. I don't know what the answer for Ohio is but something needs to change. Good luck with your decisions.

(and if you need a recommendation for a realtor I can recommend someone fantastic :P)

Missbollinger · May 2011

DH and I were discussing this last night and sadly with the way things are going right now communities are going to be hard pressed to pass any levies at all let alone school levies. As a future teacher I am apprehensive to say the least.

teacherjess · May 2011

Awful. Every single school levy around Dayton failed except for Vandalia-Butler. I can't believe it. I feel awful about property values and even more awful about the future of education for these kids. In Trotwood, the levy failed and so they are closing two BRAND NEW schools. It is so sad for those kids. I am also not surprised that the Little Miami levy failed, but....I still had some hope.

Ttimes3 · May 2011

don't.get.me.started Tongue Tied Indifferent Crying Angry Huh? Super Angry Ick! Confused Broken Heart Lightning

I'm sick.

sistrkate · May 2011

What kills me is how many people think they are sending a message to our government leaders about how schools are funded by refusing to pay additional property tax. I realize everyone's budgets are tight and everyone is looking for ways to cut down on spending, but to think that the schools are going to do things differently is just ludicrous.

Ttimes3 · May 2011

sistrkate:
What kills me is how many people think they are sending a message to our government leaders about how schools are funded by refusing to pay additional property tax. I realize everyone's budgets are tight and everyone is looking for ways to cut down on spending, but to think that the schools are going to do things differently is just ludicrous.

Yes

Taken from a lengthier email, which DH and I drafted to send to a few of our neighbors:

School funding is an extremely complex and broken system in Ohio. Our State Supreme Court has ruled numerous times, since 1997, that the current formula in unconstitutional, however, the State Legislature has yet to take any action. Until Columbus addresses the problem, we are, (admittedly) unfortunately, tied to using local property taxes to fund schools. While we may not like the system, we find ourselves in the ultimate ?Catch 22?. If we do not pass the levy, the West Clermont Schools would most likely fall into a status called ?fiscal emergency.? At that point, the State would take control over the District, including its finances (when was the last time you saw Columbus run anything efficiently?). The State would ?loan? the District money at a modest interest rate to fill the gaps in the budget. Who do you suppose would then pay for the loan? You guessed it, the tax payers in the community would be charged a special assessment to cover the costs of the loan. A vote against the levy today will only prolong the inevitable, and I would much rather have local control over decisions versus turning everything over to the same group of bureaucrats ninety miles away who have refused to address the root of the problem (the unconstitutional nature of the school funding equation in this state).

Want a personalized experience?

School levies: feel free to vent

Re: School levies: feel free to vent

Choose Another Board

Search Boards