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Tallmadge, Stow school levies fail

Both districts vow to come back to voters in November. More budget cuts could be coming

By John Higgins
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published on Wednesday, Aug 06, 2008

Voters rejected new property tax increases for the Stow-Munroe Falls and Tallmadge school districts in Tuesday's special election.

Both districts will try again in November. If they fail again, they would have to wait until 2010 to receive the money from any levy passed in 2009.

''It is very important that it pass in 2008, or we lose a whole year,'' said Stow spokeswoman Jennifer Huffman.

Turnout for the election in Summit County was about 23 percent.

The Stow school issue was an emergency levy, which means that although it appeared on the ballot as 3.2 mills, it was guaranteed to raise $3 million a year for five years, regardless of property valuation. If valuations went down, the rate could rise.

The owner of a $100,000 home pays about $1,029 a year for all school purposes in the Stow-Munroe Falls district. At 3.2 mills, the levy would have added about $98 a year to that bill.

Stow voters rejected it almost 2-1, according to unofficial results. Voters also turned down a 6.5-mill, five-year levy in March. They did pass a levy last November, but that 7.61-mill renewal brings in no new revenue to the district and didn't raise taxes.

The last new tax in the Stow-Munroe Falls district was approved in 2002.

Stow has already made about $2 million in cuts and doesn't anticipate any more for the school year that is
about to begin.

''There will be significant reductions for the next school year if we do not receive additional funding,'' said Stow Superintendent Russell Jones. ''We've looked ahead and planned for this potential. We'll run the school year, but next year, we're looking at significant reductions.''

Voters on Tuesday also turned down a property tax increase for the Tallmadge school district.

The owner of a $100,000 home pays about $1,078 a year for all school purposes in Tallmadge. The 6.9-mill levy would have added $211 to that bill.

The last time Tallmadge succeeded in getting new money was 2001.

''Due to this failure tonight, we will go into the school year with pay-to-participate [fees for sports and activities],'' said Tallmadge Superintendent Jeff Ferguson. ''We will charge tuition for all-day kindergarten and we will not have busing for high school.''

Those are among the $2 million in cuts Tallmadge made after voters defeated a larger levy in March.

The district had hoped to reverse some of those cuts if the levy, which would have raised almost $3 million a year, had passed.

Ferguson said the district will ask for the same millage in November as it did Tuesday.

''We lowered it and made cuts,'' he said. ''That's really what we need. The crucial piece for us is to get this passed in calendar year 2008.''

Ferguson said he has had a levy on the ballot since he took over as superintendent three years ago.

''Tomorrow, I know what I have to do,'' Ferguson said. ''Obviously, this one hurts.''

Voters in the special election also:

• Passed a 5.2-mill renewal levy for the Minerva school district in Stark County.

• Passed a 1-mill additional levy for the Twinsburg Public Library in Summit County.

• Passed a 1-mill, five-year levy for fire protection in Macedonia in Summit County.

• Passed a 2.5-mill replacement levy for fire protection and emergency medical services in Suffield Township in Portage County.

• Passed a 1.3-mill, five-year replacement levy for fire protection for Montville Township in Medina County.

John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com.

 

Voters rejected new property tax increases for the Stow-Munroe Falls and Tallmadge school districts in Tuesday's special election.

Get the full article here.


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cam

Posted 01:46 PM, 11/06/2008

Good riddance. I am sure they'll race to put this on a ballot in March LOL

Those of us that have paid WAAAYYYYY too much in taxes will vote it down again. Not because we don't want the teachers to do well. It's because we simply don't have any more.

Remember, even though our houses have gone down in value (as far as sales go), our taxes have gone up since Summit County THINKS our property has gone UP in value. LOL We just don't have any more to give.

It's time for the schools to do what we have to do. LEARN TO DO WITH LESS.
















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