Another levy try wins OK of board

District will ask voters again to approve plan to raise $65 million for school construction projects.

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By Megan Gildow, Staff Writer 10:15 PM Wednesday, November 18, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — A defeated levy in the November election intended to fund new construction has not deterred Northeastern schools officials.

Board members voted Wednesday, Nov. 18, to return to residents in February in an effort to generate more than $65 million for school construction. Voters rejected an identical issue Nov. 3 by a vote of 3,965 for and 4,931 against.

The board approved Wednesday’s resolution 4-1 after voting unanimously Nov. 6 on the first step to go back to voters. The dissenting vote came from Tom Flaherty, who exits the board at the end of the year and has vocally supported a combined high school and middle school in the district in the past.

However, the plan to build on two campuses is widely supported, Board President Leonard Kadel said.

“We’ve talked to a lot of different people in the district that support it,” he said, adding that there was a high number of “yes” voters.

Kadel said the board had consulted with various groups with levy experience who advised them to try again. The district has until July to secure local approval of the funding or risk losing the Ohio School Facilities Commission portion.

“In the past, something like 3,000 votes would pass a levy easily,” he said.

The issue on the Feb. 2 ballot will be a $65.8 million 37-year bond issue to pay 59 percent of the construction costs for two campuses of three buildings each in the district. The remaining 41 percent would be paid for by the OSFC.

The tax issue will consist of two parts: a 7.572-mill property tax to fund the local portion of the OSFC project and a .25-percent income tax to pay for locally funded initiatives not covered by the OSFC, including larger gyms, auditoriums and terrazzo flooring.

The levy would raise property taxes $231 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home; the income tax would cost $100 a year per $40,000 in income.

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Use tents! No new buildings needed.

I make big tents for schools. Children like tents! You see.

Omar the Tent Maker
4:57 PM, 11/19/2009

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Well a lot of people are concerned about the kids and they should be with higher taxes people will not be able to afford the house they are currently in. With the economy in the condition it is in a lot more jobs can be lost, NO one is safe. I and my co-workers have taken a 10% pay CUT to help the company I work for. Even the company has cut back on anything and everything. All employees take care of their own trash and clean their own space. NELSD needs to to save the funds they have VOTE NO!!

NO NO NO
3:54 PM, 11/19/2009

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Do you realize another failure could force homeowners to move to another district that has voted for NEW SCHOOLS! Look at what has happened to Southwest--Grove City. How many of those homeowners are trying move--property values will lower worse than what the economy has done! Protect your greatest investment--HOME=FAMILY!

Lori Fulk
3:19 PM, 11/19/2009

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I will also continue to vote this down. There is no need to build new schools when some are only 30 years old. If there are things that need to be repaired, REPAIR THEM. We live in a disposable society and I, for one, am sick of it. I do not tear down my house because the roof is bad - I fix it. Stop being wasteful NELSD.

By the way, stop blaming people in the county for voting no. I live in Precinct 38 & voted no.

Still Voting No
3:09 PM, 11/19/2009

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You have my vote! I understand the consequences of letting the schools fall into worse repair than they are now. They couldn't be much worse. NE was falling in on our heads ten years ago when I was there. You wonder why your property values are dropping. Take a look at your schools! Who would want to live in the NE district with schools like those? It might cost you in the short run, but I think it's worth it (and necessary) in the long run.

Stacy
2:46 PM, 11/19/2009

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