PREVIOUS: Election 2018: Graham schools levy request
“Our need did not go away with our loss in May,” Graham Superintendent Kirk Koennecke said in a statement of the 51 percent to 48 percent defeat two months ago. “While we came very close, with hundreds of new voters that supported our message, it was not enough.
“The Board took the actions it spelled out over the past six months. We have suffered a severe blow to our budget. $1.5 million is cuts affects the quality of schooling we can offer. People lost jobs. Services have been cut back. Fees have been raised. None of those actions are going to benefit our children.”
The Graham board of education took its first vote to put the levy on the ballot. The board will have to take one more vote to make it official.
“We wish to protect what we are working on, and that is prioritizing curriculum and programming for children,” school board president Ryan Pine said.
EXTRA: $1.5 million in cuts coming to Graham if income tax fails again
Graham’s board said that the 1 percent increase would generate slightly more than 2 million annually for a five-year term.
“We know that many of our parents did not participate in the May election,” Koennecke said. “We must continue to communicate and educate our families and citizens about our need.”
“The competition for our children is all around us. In township halls, churches, and businesses, every Graham citizen should be reflecting on how our school’s health affects our community health. Investing in schools is as much about investing in the community as it is investing in yourself.”
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