Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Complaints against officer keep coming
Woman rescued after falling through rotting floor in house
Police say couple had 50 stolen hubcaps
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Strip club hosts 'Lap dances for Haiti'
Teen driver crashes into Bath Twp. home
Police: Man tries to buy crack with credit card
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
State auditor cites Highland Athletic Booster Club
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
NBC Releases Olympics Announcer List
Akron Zips:
Zips favored on road against MAC West leader
Tribe Matters:
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. New Jersey Nets
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Five local gridders to play in Big33
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
By Katie Byard and John Higgins
Beacon Journal staff writers
POSTED: 12:12 a.m. EST, Nov 04, 2009
Voters in Green on Tuesday handily approved a renewal levy on the last chance before it expires.
Voters passed the 5.8-mill, five-year emergency renewal levy by a greater than 2-to-1 margin.
Renewals don't raise taxes, but once they expire, they must be advertised as a new, additional tax, which is usually a tougher sell.
Superintendent Michael Nutter said last month that if the issue failed, the district would make an additional $4.1 million in cuts in January, including 60 jobs, mostly teachers.
Voters in 20 area school districts were deciding property-tax issues Tuesday.
Springfield also passed its three renewal levies, which together raise about $4.5 million a year and account for 18 percent of the district's annual operating budget.
Springfield remains in fiscal emergency and under state control after several failed attempts to raise new operating money.
Barberton's renewal issue and Tallmadge's proposal for additional taxes were too close to call at press time.
Barberton's 8.57-mill, 10-year renewal raises about $3.7 million a year — about 10 percent of the district's annual operating budget.
Area school officials had expressed concern about passing renewal levies amid the weak economy. They aggressively campaigned to keep the levies on the books.
Tallmadge's 6.9-mill, five-year levy would raise nearly $3 million annually.
In Coventry, voters rejected a new operating levy that would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $153 in property taxes annually.
Voters in two Summit County school districts — Norton and Manchester — appeared to be rejecting bond issues that would have pulled in not only state dollars for new school construction, but also federal economic stimulus dollars.
Norton's 6.98-mill issue would have helped pay for construction of a new campus — a combined middle and high school and an elementary school — off Greenwich Road.
Manchester was asking for 6.98 mills for buildings and 0.5 mills to maintain the new buildings. Voters rejected a similar issue in May, but this time, the pot was sweetened with the federal stimulus dollars, which meant the district needed less from homeowners.
Tallmadge was seeking new operating money for the sixth time in two years.
The district has made $2.5 million in cuts over the past two years, including 55 layoffs.
City officials were heavily involved in promoting the levy, with Tallmadge Mayor Chris Grimm serving as campaign co-chair.
In Medina, city voters overwhelmingly rejected a permanent additional tax for operations that would have begun at 3.9 mills and risen to 11.7 mills in its third year. The owner of a $100,000 home would have paid an additional $1,233 annually in property taxes by the third year.
Also in Medina County, voters in the Highland district turned down a 7.9-mill operating levy, with all but one precinct reporting. The levy would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $893 annually.
In Wayne County, voters rejected Triway's 4.5-mill bond issue for a new combined junior high and high school.
Results for Streetsboro's 9.5-mill, permanent levy and other Portage County school issues were not available at press time.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com.
Voters in Green on Tuesday handily approved a renewal levy on the last chance before it expires.
Voters passed the 5.8-mill, five-year emergency renewal levy by a greater than 2-to-1 margin.
Renewals don't raise taxes, but once they expire, they must be advertised as a new, additional tax, which is usually a tougher sell.
Superintendent Michael Nutter said last month that if the issue failed, the district would make an additional $4.1 million in cuts in January, including 60 jobs, mostly teachers.
Voters in 20 area school districts were deciding property-tax issues Tuesday.
Springfield also passed its three renewal levies, which together raise about $4.5 million a year and account for 18 percent of the district's annual operating budget.
Springfield remains in fiscal emergency and under state control after several failed attempts to raise new operating money.
Barberton's renewal issue and Tallmadge's proposal for additional taxes were too close to call at press time.
Barberton's 8.57-mill, 10-year renewal raises about $3.7 million a year — about 10 percent of the district's annual operating budget.
Area school officials had expressed concern about passing renewal levies amid the weak economy. They aggressively campaigned to keep the levies on the books.
Tallmadge's 6.9-mill, five-year levy would raise nearly $3 million annually.
In Coventry, voters rejected a new operating levy that would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $153 in property taxes annually.
Voters in two Summit County school districts — Norton and Manchester — appeared to be rejecting bond issues that would have pulled in not only state dollars for new school construction, but also federal economic stimulus dollars.
Norton's 6.98-mill issue would have helped pay for construction of a new campus — a combined middle and high school and an elementary school — off Greenwich Road.
Manchester was asking for 6.98 mills for buildings and 0.5 mills to maintain the new buildings. Voters rejected a similar issue in May, but this time, the pot was sweetened with the federal stimulus dollars, which meant the district needed less from homeowners.
Tallmadge was seeking new operating money for the sixth time in two years.
The district has made $2.5 million in cuts over the past two years, including 55 layoffs.
City officials were heavily involved in promoting the levy, with Tallmadge Mayor Chris Grimm serving as campaign co-chair.
In Medina, city voters overwhelmingly rejected a permanent additional tax for operations that would have begun at 3.9 mills and risen to 11.7 mills in its third year. The owner of a $100,000 home would have paid an additional $1,233 annually in property taxes by the third year.
Also in Medina County, voters in the Highland district turned down a 7.9-mill operating levy, with all but one precinct reporting. The levy would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $893 annually.
In Wayne County, voters rejected Triway's 4.5-mill bond issue for a new combined junior high and high school.
Results for Streetsboro's 9.5-mill, permanent levy and other Portage County school issues were not available at press time.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Posted 08:28 AM, 11/04/2009
Dear Coventry School Board, time to consolidate, close open enrollment for a few years and pay more attention to Coventry students who live in the area. Make our schools scores better and maybe we'd attract more buyers to our area.
Dear Coventry Twp officials- get busy and hire an architect to revamp the downtown area, stop building rental apartments, rip down that ugly building near the clock tower and go back to school and learn how to run a company! After 20 yrs of living here this Board is stuck in the old days. Time for you to clean house, we are not looking to grow a bigger community...just fix what is here. Enough of the bars.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 09:40 AM, 11/04/2009
Manchester residents will never know the opportunity they missed. It could've been a "model" state-of-the-art school system, everything new...and for far less than the cost of a Coke per day for most homeowners. It's truly mind-boggling. Now, the same people will face the same bills to repair and update the same half-century-old buildings...and have to look at the decaying mess forever.
79 votes...that's the difference between a re-energized community and school system and increased property values....and a town that will decay, die and bottom-out in value. Nice going, you negative voters. Shoulda read the facts, 'cause you're gonna be soooo sorry. Imagine, just saying "No" to a once-in-a-lifetime free gift of over $27-million. You lost it forever.
Posted 09:53 AM, 11/04/2009
Reality Check, you are correct. It will cost more to repair and maintain the current schools than it will to replace them. After the new federal money was added to the mix, it would've cost the average homeowner around 13 cents a day extra.
If this was meant as some of protest against the school board and administration, then it is a matter of "cuttiong off your nose to spite your face." Before anyone does that sort of thing, perhaps they ought to go to school board meetings, or ask to meet with school administrators to understand the moves they are making, and to raise issue if there is disagreement.
I wonder how many "No" voters actually took the time to read about the issue, or get informed about what they were voting on. Democracy takes work. When you have that sort of responsibility, you need to make sure you know what it is you're voting on. To dismiss something out of hand without knowing what it is, is dangerous, harmful, and in this case just stupid.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 10:34 AM, 11/04/2009
The cost (for a $100,000 home) would actually have been about 43-cents a day, maybe less, depending on the additional stimulus money Manchester would've received from all the other districts voting "no" (such as Norton).
It was just an UNHEARD OF offer, but so many Manchester residents are stuck in the Dark Ages mentality. They'll waste money on cable tiers, junk food, sports, entertainment...but 43-cents to ensure the future of our schools and community. Nah! Imagine that. Watch how quickly you waste 43-cents today. Compare that with an entirely new school system. I'm really speechless.
Posted 10:38 AM, 11/04/2009
Reality, I need to edit myself better. Typo on my part. I share your frustration. It makes no sense.
Posted 11:07 AM, 11/04/2009
I understand those who voted no for bond issues who may be out of work or just hard hit financially. What I don;t understand is those people who are so mistrusting of public institutions that they believe every mistruth but try to get the facts. Both Manchester and Norton had reasonable proposals that were not extremely costly and were once in a lifetime opportunities. The sad fact is all voters young and old don't have the same committment to the children and their communities that voters did back in the day. What a shame.
AKRON, OH
Posted 11:35 AM, 11/04/2009
Thank you City of Green voters for passing the renewal levy. There is still a budget short-fall, so we'll see how Superintendent Nutter and the Board resolve it. The City of Green received $250,000 from the stimilus and can use it however they like. Mayor Norton wants to use that money to build a Veteran's Memorial in Green. I am in favor of honoring and supporting our Veterans, but Mayor Norton may have a hidden agenda with wanting this Memorial now. Mayor Norton will not make any decisions that are considered controversial because it would hurt his chances for re-election and all of his decisions are based on getting himself re-elected. The City of Green has the $250,000 stimulus money now and the Green Local School District needs that $250,000 NOW. Mayor Norton could organize a Veterans Memorial committee and that committee would be responsible for raising the funds necessary to build a Veteran's Memorial. Mayor Norton wants to take credit for actually doing something before the next Mayor's election. It is mind baffling that Mayor Norton (along with the City of Green Administration) is fully aware that Green Schools NEEDS that $250,000 and isn't giving it up to the schools. This clearly shows his hidden agenda and his lack of supporting Green Local Schools. Mayor Norton's term is up in 2012, you can see his profile needs something added to the year 2010 www.cityofgreen.org. Mayor Norton also hired Valerie Wolford, Communications Coordinator, to "handle" press releases and a newsletter for the City. Her press releases and newsletters have numerous grammar errors and misspelled names. Ms. Wolford has been paid over $80k so far for doing virtually nothing. Her duties were effectively handled previously by current staff and it didn't cost the City anything additional!
If you are as outraged with Mayor Norton's hidden agenda, please email him at mayor@cityofgreen.org or call him at 330-896-6601 and voice your outrage!
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 12:09 PM, 11/04/2009
I'm all for remembering and honoring our heroes who serve in wars, but money is far too tight for cities and schools right now to be spending in that direction. There is a beautiful, expansive war memorial in Clinton for people to visit. Public money needs to be put into active use, so that more tax money is not needed right around the corner for actual necessities.
Posted 03:10 PM, 11/04/2009
Voting against a bond issue never makes sense. Bond issues are merely requests to borrow money and are factored into a school systems budgetary process. That's what makes the Manchester situation so perplexing. There was an additional levy in Manchester, but so small that it amounted to less than 50 cents a day to most taxpayers. For that price, the district could have had two new schools, saved money on maintenance and energy costs, and provided an even higher quality of education. The property owners would've immediately seen their property values jump. Instead you have some bitter, narrow-minded people who can't fathom that, and because of their own self-centered, misguided ways they've not only hurt themselves, but they've hurt the children of their community in the process.
tallmadge, oh
Posted 06:24 PM, 11/04/2009
THANK YOU TALLMADGE VOTERS FOR VOTING FOR ARE CHILDREN,S FUTURE.
Akron, OH
Posted 11:40 PM, 11/04/2009
Mayor norton was a bust at First Merit and he ramains the same. time for him to gooooooooo.
