Northwestern schools substitute levy passes

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Northwestern Local School District’s substitute levy is passing by more than 60%, according to unofficial early results Tuesday by the Clark County Board of Elections.

The district serves some students in Champaign County and voters there narrowly rejected the measure.

The district had a 7.16 mill, 5-year property tax substitute levy for general operating costs for the district on the ballot.

Superintendent Jesse Steiner said this levy is “definitely needed by the school” and is “extremely important.”

“We do a pretty good job of working within our means, we don’t deficit spend... That’s our goal every single year is to adjust our staffing or look for ways to save money so we aren’t asking the taxpayers for more money,” Steiner said last month. “We hope that people realize the need to keep our school healthy, to keep it running as it is, and the only way that we can do that is by supporting this levy.”

According to unofficial early results, 62.58% or 1,067 voters cast ballots for the levy, and 37.42% or 638 voters rejected the levy in Clark County. In Champaign County, the levy failed by one vote with 42.86% or three votes for the levy and 57.14% or four votes against the levy.

The substitute levy represents about 10% of the district’s operating budget and the amount of revenue generated by the levy is $1,715,690.

Steiner said the levy is also eligible for tax exemptions through the State of Ohio, which means the state pays for 12% of the levy, or $205,882.80.

If the substitute levy had not passed, the only way to make room in the budget would have been to cut personnel or programs, Steiner said.

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