|
Current Conditions: Overcast, 21.9˚F
|
| Print Subscription Login Register |
Published:Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Voters rejected all six issues on the special election ballot.
Like the opening line of the Human Beinz’s classic song, “Nobody But Me,” voters considering school tax issues in the Mahoning Valley said: “No, no, no, no, no, no.”
The song actually opens with 30 nos, but there were only six issues from five school districts on Tuesday’s special election ballot. All failed, most by huge margins.
“It wasn’t close,” said Robert Rostan, Leetonia’s superintendent of schools. “I’m pretty much at a loss for words.”
Leetonia’s 7-mill, five-year tax issue received only 27.8 percent of the vote. Amazingly, that’s an improvement from the 26.3 percent support received in November 2007.
A 7.1-mill combined bond issue/tax levy for new schools in the Springfield district received support from 37.3 percent of voters Tuesday.
That’s the third and final time for the ballot issue for a $35 million project to build two new schools in the district. The state was going to give about $20 million to the district for the project.
The state gives school districts up to three attempts to get a tax proposal for its share of the construction costs approved by voters.
“We’re disappointed for the students,” said Superintendent Debra Mettee.
The district still needs to make more than $10 million worth of repairs to its buildings, she added.
A tax renewal levy to raise about $1 million a year for the Jackson-Milton school district failed for the third time Tuesday.
It lost by 49 votes in March.
On Tuesday, it lost by 60 votes.
“It’s unfortunate it turned out that way,” said Superintendent Kirk Baker. “The economy is tough right now. We’ve already made cuts, and further ones could be made.”
The school board will decide whether to put the levy on the November ballot, he said.
Lordstown Superintendent Bill Pfahler said he couldn’t believe Tuesday’s outcome. Lordstown saw two school levies rejected by voters, most recently in March.
So the district reduced the tax measure on Tuesday’s ballot by about $105,000 a year and put a five-year limit on the issue. The two failed levies were for unlimited periods of time.
With the reductions, the Lordstown levy received 35.6 percent of the vote. The higher levy without the time restriction received 44 percent support in March.
“We felt we listened to the voters,” Pfahler said. “Residents told us they felt it needed to be lowered. We did that, and we did worse. It’s mind-boggling.”
The district is unsure about returning the levy to the November ballot, he said.
Voters in Southington rejected two tax levies, each for the third time.
A 1-mill additional levy received only 27.6 percent of the vote while a 3.15-mill renewal got 31.6 percent of the vote.
Even though voters once again overwhelmingly rejected a tax levy in Leetonia, the cash-strapped district is going to put it back on the November ballot, Rostan said.
“But it’s hard to believe we’ll be able to convince that many voters to change their minds,” he said. “We don’t have any other choice but to go back to voters.”
The district expects to lay off at least four teachers and three support staff workers around July 2009, and the cuts could be deeper, Rostan said.
“We can operate this year,” he said. “Our problem is the next school year. Without new taxes, those cuts will occur. I’m not sure that will be enough.”
skolnick@vindy.com
Search Options
Don't the school boards recognize people do not have money left at the end of the month to pay more school taxes? The price of gas, utilities, and food have gone through the roof. Cut your staffing and match your income to the budget process. It may mean pay to play, less busing, and staff cuts, but that is what the people are telling you to do.
A community will only be as good as its schools. Don't forget those costs you cite have also gone up for the school districts.
Well said, TB. What we put into our school systems is an equivalent of the kinds of students they produce. Cut, cut, cut, and what you get are students with incredible deficiencies in their educations, making them less able to compete in life after high school, making them have to work even harder to catch up in college, making this region even more "behind" than it already is. When people wake up and realize that becoming a more educated region will make us a more viable economic region, life in the valley cities, towns and suburbs will improve dramatically. But this is a sort of sea change, and I don't see it happening in the generations of elderly voters like Oldmangrump who aren't able to make this sort of connection between investment in their community schools and improvement in their communities.
Look they are not as in ad as shape as they say they are/ Thet say theyt need money hhuh,well what about when they give the Superintendtedet a payraise then want more $ jsut after that? If it was that needed they would not vote yes for a payriase and then maybe I would feel bad for them. I need the proof it is as bad as they say before I will give them my hard earned money. If they could prove they needed it and tke a cut form thier paycheck then I would vote yes but when do you see that happnening TB?
~the people of each school district spoke loud & clear ~~ NO!! HOWEVER, SOME OF THOSE LEVIES will be PUT BACK ON THE BALLOT IN November ~~ What part of "NO" do they not understand~~ NO is NO is "NO" in my book!!
~~ NO ~~ the "DEFICIENCIES" in education IS NOT from cuts ~~ it is from NOT BEING TAUGHT VERBALLY & having dittos`copies thrown at students to DO-DO-& DO = SILENT WAY OF TEACHING & EASY WAY FOR THAT PAY-CHECK!!
~NO ~~ it is not JUST the ELDER thinking~~ the young are seeing through this all ~~ get more money & give fatter pay-checks~~ & DO NOT USE $$ FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE~~ WELL NOW ~~ THIS PRACTICE IS BEING PUT TO A STOP!!
And once it is people will start supporting thier schools again.
I've been in a lot of classrooms over the past 15 years and can count on one hand the number of classes I've seen that simply throw dittos at the students. Maybe you need to visit a local school. How about volunteering to verbally read to some young students?
Yeah, seriously. And how about the fact that we already have some of the lowest paying school systems in Ohio and some of the worst paid teachers in the country. Once you start actually looking into how education works and what it takes to get good teachers--which is money--then maybe some of the good ones will actually come here to teach. Until then, we'll be stuck with what we pay for. You consider that, and then think about your cuts. You want to cut more? Well, the teachers you get for less will be exactly that--less and less and less.
Isn't it time to start listening and accept the truth.
What peace is saying is TRUE.
The copies/dittos are happening in classrooms in Districts because classrooms do not have enough books for every student. The students must now get permission in order to take a book home because of this shortage. Would it not have been more money saving by purchasing enough books for everyone and no copys?
Unfortunately, teachers do not teach the way of the past and you know this. Papers are indeed being passed out, one after another with less verbal teaching and more so of the silent way of teaching and not being accountable for each and every student they have. Wouldn't you want to be able to hold your head high and proud that every student in the class is getting it and if not, take that extra mile to be sure they are. With my experience, a student learns far more better when it is verbal teaching and always went that extra mile to be sure all were passing students in my classes. After all, your students are a reflection of how and what you taught them. This is not being done. I was a teacher and see and know what is going on in School Districts. The student(s) and parents of them now are seeing it also.
With what peace is saying, sounds like more than just in classroom experience has been observed in that school District. More like dealing with it first handed.
Teachers chose to wear their shoes and no one else needs to fit into them. If they walked properly in them, only they know best the answer to that.
It seems the priorities in some Districts has become $$ with the teachers instead of the students needs first in providing quality education which has dwindles because of their priorities in the wrong order. Where I come from, we always put the district and our students needs first, then a raise came into talks when we knew the school system had enough. We did not act like we were above others and we always had the respect and support of the people because we used the money from a levy for the intended purpose and what it was suppose to be used for. Why would people support a levy that they already know the money will not go where its suppose to. It has not in the past and would be another carbon copy. You have to earn respect and support of the people by using money properly and wisely and less ill spending. People shoud really start taking a hard look at their own Districts School Board and Superintendent and evaluate if they are doing their job properly. In order to have high standard quality of education you first must have a good team doing their job. They are the ones who are dispersing the money, either right-fully or ill spent. With the result of the levies failing, people have already taken a hard look in those Districts. It is those people who choose who stays on their Districts School Board and if Superintendent remains. It is not unheard of to get rid of all at one time before a election of candidates.
Which i nsome cases is what may have to be done since they won't listen to anything that is negative.
Two more things
Peace, you will hear remarks which you learn to ignore. Those are the ones that do not really want to deal with the truth.
And the other problem; It's not your place, Peace, to go & do the teachers job of verbal reading to a young student in their class. They are paid to do this. A parent is NOT to be the teacher, they are to be the reinforcer only. I would never think of saying this to a parent. That's also where the difference/priority comes in. People are tired of this way of thinking.
Like I said, they chose those shoes and NO ONE needs to fit into them. How they walk in them, only they know the story to that.
We most certainly are STUCK with what we PAY FOR:
1. greety &
2. self-centered
3. all about them (not the students)
4. teachers who care less about the well being of
their very own School District
5. think they are above the rest and
6. cannot ACCEPT the word "NO" to FATTER PAYCHECKS!
~ with all the failing levies~~ one now can say~~
"THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN!!"
Well, then, I recommend we fire all the teachers and administration and people like you should go fill those shoes since you think you know so much about it.
** with your line of thinking~~
YOU need to be one of the replacements on our Board~~ but then again NOT~~ you are just like all of them~~ SAY ONE THING ~ DO ANOTHER!!~
as for "those shoes~~ don't ya get it ~~
*they chose those shoes and NO ONE needs to fit into them. How they walk in them, only they know the story to that.
What exactly do you mean by verbal teaching? Talking to students the whole time?
The methods being used in classrooms today, which include much more than simply passing out papers, are based on solid research done by universities here and in other countries. It takes into account child psychological development and social development also.
Using the ways of the past, as you seem to be proposing, would only keep us in the past.
Also, the school used to the be the heart of the community. People in the past understood that it took more than a person standing in front of kids to truly educate them.
While I agree with some of what was said about school boards and the administration, I also think that your knowledge of the modern school environment and the external demands and mandates made upon those school districts, (usually without support,) could be brought up to speed.
I can't believe a former teacher would NOT want a parent or community member to volunteer at the school. Regardless of whose job it is to educate the students, working with kids is an extremely rewarding experience.
I feel the problem is one of priority. learning first,money second.
People are BROKE. School districts had better figure out how to function on the money they have because new money will not be coming anytime soon from property poor tax payers.
For msot of these schools that say tey are broke there is one reaosn,the economy si bad and the sate won't give them anymore money. It's a satewide problem and it is hlaf there falut it got to this.
JollyRu
The parent is not an educator, only a reinforcer?!! In my home I am most certainly an educator!! By your logic, if a student fails a subject it's the teacher's fault. In my home I am an educator full-time, my child is student full-time and her teachers are educators part-time. My children's success in school cannot happen without all parties doing their share. As for their wages.... please. I go into the doctor's office with my child, spend an hour in the waiting room, two minutes with the physician and I'm charged over 200.00! Professional athletes make an obscene amount of money for nothing more than talent. I could go on forever in the disparity of wages in various careers. Teachers deserve to make a wage commensurate with the importance of what they do daily.
One last thing, I am not a teacher, before the assumption is made.... I am a nurse. I became a nurse thanks in no small part to my teachers and parents.
The reason why some of these areas are voting down school levies is because the schools don't give equal options in classes and learning as some of the surrounding districts. Some of these school communities are wanting school districts to combined into the surrounding schools giving their students a better chance at education with more options to choose. I mean for all the people defending the schools; do you know some these school don't even have accreditation. So what does that say about the schools and it's teachers? So maybe you can see why some people just DO NOT support these levies! Not to mention that costs are rising in everything we need to survive and the pay rates are staying the same! If we need to learn to figure out how to manage it, so should the school districts!
They will manage it by cutting staff, cutting programs, and making parents fork over fees for everything from books, supplies and sports. If you think they lack equal options in classes and learning now, just wait until they make the hard decisions needed to work within their current means.
You know some people are not getting it. Cut a whole school district and put it into another school district! I know that means people will lose jobs. But the children, who should be thought of first, will not have the "lack of equal options" in their classes if they combined. People just want to keep blaming the people of the communities for voting down the levies. Open your eyes the people in who work in those school districts, like JM, are more worried about their jobs then the stundents' futures! Believe me I took into consideration the school districts when i moved. I still don't really like the school district i ended up moving to cause it's too big. So I chose to go with open enrollment.
Jolly...... being a former teacher it's interesting to note that you are showing very little support to your fellow teachers. Thankfully for you the voters of your career term didn't feel the need to vote down your levy. Everyone has valid points to their arguments, but try to remember the children are the ones that ultimately lose.
I think people get it fine. It's not as clear cut as you'd like to make it.
Cutting a whole district sounds great on paper, but it could end up doing exactly what you're advocating...it could end up hurting the students.
Local community control of a school district is a wonderful idea. The community makes decisions for that community's students. Taking away more of that control, (which is already happening due to mandates from the federal and state government,) could wind up hurting the students involved. Think about the response time we get from county and state offices. Replacing local control with some bureaucracy to save money not only means trading autonomy but could mean sacrifices to student options. (Take a look at what has happened in the past when the state has taken over a school district, specifically the cuts in staffing and in activities. There go the equal options you'd like to see.)
Lack of equal options is something most teachers are pushing to have fixed, which can be achieved through fixing the state funding formula. Currently, students all over the state receive unequal educations simply because of where the students live. Open enrollment simply sidesteps the problem.
For example, take a drive sometime to schools down in Appalachia. Look at the conditions of the buildings, materials, and examine the pay scales of the teachers. They're typically the lowest in the state. Then take a drive through Dublin or Perry.
What's happened is the state has forced local voters into making the decisions that should have been fixed long ago in Columbus. (Check out the Derolph ruling from the Ohio State Supreme Court.)
The solution though it not to keep force feeding us these levies every May and Novmeber.
This has just grown into a very unfortunate scenario for the valley. No one person is to blame; what we are currently experiencing is the result of years of mismanagement at multiple levels. The Ohio education system has notoriously been reactive rather than proactive, with short-term solutions that have buried the entire state's system with an overwhelming debt. Remember, everything gets worse before it gets better...this is by no means a quick fix. Also, changing political agendas term after term give the school funding no consistency and no backbone. Failure has been inevitable. Ohio needs educational leadership that is not politically influenced (which sadly is doubtful) that can work towards a system that is more adapting to a changing society. Finally greedy administration in struggling districts probably shouldn't take significant, unjustified, pay increases, especially when they are working in districts that have been notedly increasing in debts. And people wonder why the Youngstown area is dying?
"The solution though it not to keep force feeding us these levies every May and Novmeber"
Believe me, most if not all school district leaders would love to be in a position where they didn't have to ask. They know that times are tight out there, but they are also trying to provide a good education with enough options to make our graduates competitive outside of the area, (which is apparently happening enough with the coverage of the brain drain phenomena in the area.)
They don't have much choice left.
"The Ohio education system has notoriously been reactive rather than proactive, with short-term solutions that have buried the entire state's system with an overwhelming debt."
Before you blame the system, remember that the funds are solely controlled and oversight is provided by Columbus and the state legislature. If you want to point a finger, look southwest.
One of Ted Strickland's main goals for his term of office was to start fixing the education system. He's working on it. He's going to need the legislature to finally dig in and ante up instead of passing the buck.
All politicians at one time or another make education a main plank in their platforms, but in recent memory, Ted's one of the few to actually follow through in a meaningful way.
Yes and still they chances of peoople lsting is very slim. It hs to come from Columbus not our wallets.
Couple things..first it's amazing how broke people are, where passing a levy might cost one or two times dining out a month or so. I've seen plenty of people out eating out, so I don't think that should be an issue
Second, when you talk about teachers only thinking about the money, name me one job where people do not. Yes teachers chose "these shoes" to walk in, but so did everyone else who can't afford to vote yes. I'm sure those working at McDonalds would want to make more money if given the opportunity. For a profession that has to continue going back to school like teaching (which by the way doctors and lawyers don't have to continue their education like teachers are expected to) there has to be some money to stay in this profession. Of course many teachers leave the profession after five years looking to make money, so the ones in the schools are dedicated to their students.
Lastly, those voting no do not have a child still in school so they feel no obligation to vote yes. Ohio is one of very few states that actually care to ask what voters think in levies, as most states (including PA) just increase taxes as they see fit for education.
Bottom line, schools are put off to the side until they are needed. Everyone complains about being broke, then maybe you need to look at other professions. Don't blame your finacial short comings at the ballot box
All you "Vote NO - that'll show 'em!" types, you do realize that YOUR property values are directly tied to your community's public school system, don't you? The communities whose schools offer extras like after school enrichment programs and classes for gifted as well as disabled students, just to name a couple, have a higher property value than those whose schools just offer the basics.
Yes, the teachers, and the students too, are a large part of why a school system turns out educated people or not, and the teachers' salaries are one tiny flyspeck in the overall budget. Even the best teachers working for free can't teach anybody in a school that has a leaky roof, broken windows, no security, and where the students are hungry, cold, and so on.
What I'm saying is that if you refuse to fund your public schools, don't come on here crying because your property values are falling. You're doing it to yourselves.
Thats' just one persons' opinion! How come schools used to be able to keep a budget and now they are always millions in hole? One word WASTE of $! If I give a kid $50 and he spends it in 10 mintues and ask for more who in there right mind would when you know it will be WASTED too?
It's not a matter of wasting money, they have less money to work with. It's not all that easy to maintain any budget when you have a loss of income whether it be the schools or personally. As with any investment additional expenses will arise. It's no different than if your home needed repairs and your employer decided to cut your pay. No system is perfect, no system can please all people, but please try to think of the children and their futures when you enter the polls.
Mimi2BC But the difference is when my house needs a repair we work within our budget! These school do not work within their budget. Some people are getting or taking pay increases. Why don't they ask the teachers, administration all the way up to the superintendant to take a pay cut, or have to foot the bill for some of their health care. They are going to say no way. So are the children really that important? Back when i was in school, private, my parents paid for my schooling, plus the taxes for the district we lived in, and did vote yes on levies. Most people in the past have voted for levies, but with the everything going up in price, and the mismanagement of money by school districts. Why shouldn't the school be expected to live within their budget. We are expected to live within ours!
People love to use the house analogy, but think about when you bought that house. I'm going to guess you didn't pay for it outright. I'm going to guess you ran a bit in the red, meaning you needed a loan, to purchase that house.
"How come schools used to be able to keep a budget and now they are always millions in hole?"
Are you familiar with any of the legislation that has been passed over the past twenty years that requires schools to do more without giving them any money? When most of us were in school, (and especially those in school prior to 1980,) schools did not have to deal with most of the requirements now placed upon them.
Many teachers in the area have taken pay freezes over the past decade or so in order to keep their districts financially sound. Almost every teacher in the tri-county area has given up benefits in order to deal with the spiraling costs of health care.
Saying that teachers haven't contributed to keeping costs down just isn't true, especially when you consider that costs for teachers, (licensure requirements, classroom supplies, fingerprinting, etc.) are going up and becoming more frequent. It's easy to point the finger there, but do a little research before you assume.