By Joeli

January 14, 2009 11:11 PM | Link to this

I am TICKED OFF @ Little Miami’s decision to cut busing. They’re only doing it in hopes to make enough of us so mad about driving our kids to and from school that we will vote in their favor. They just lost our vote.

By Mike T. Hayes

January 30, 2009 3:34 AM | Link to this

With people getting laid off from work, the cost of heating our homes, and the price of food going up, how can people pay for the levy? Cutting the bus service is always the first threat they do. All they need to do is pick all the students at once and park the buses at the high school, and start from there at the end of the day with this high school students on the buses. Then pick up the other students at the other schools. Problem taken of. Everyone is having problems do to the economy. This can only make things worse by cutting the bus service. The school needs to get with the times. Things are bad all over.

By Rick

January 31, 2009 1:26 PM | Link to this

Ryan, levies have a typical “dance.” First there is discussion about a “possible” levy, what will need to be cut if that levy does not pass, private raising of funds to support the levy, a lapdog press that slavishly supports the levy and asks no hard questions, and then a quick blitz campaign that relies only on feelings and does not address the facts. If you do not want to follow that usual dance, please go to http://msbgwatch.com/ Seek out a print comments about those who don’t support the levy, especially those who are aware of waste within the system.

By David J. Nibbens

February 6, 2009 3:54 AM | Link to this

So much for the Little Miami High School and Mr. Bennett being for the children. This is so selfish of them to cut the busing service. This is their way of saying DO WHAT WE WANT, OR PAY THE PRICE. This is so sad. By doing this the parents will have to take the children to school, and this is a good way to get votes for the levy they think. Let’s not hope by inconveniencing a few parents, they will force this one on us. They are asking for too much. People’s pay is being cut, and other are loosing jobs.

By Anne Huff

February 11, 2009 8:14 AM | Link to this

my name is anne huff and i live in the little miami school district in morrow. i live alone and i have only one income. my house is worth a little over $150,000 or so the county says. my house is not paid off. i am on a kind of fixed income and i am not old enough yet to receive the tax break or home stead role back. i don’t have a child in school any more. i beg the voters to vote no for this up coming tax levy. please help me keep my home by voting no. i am taking a 6% cut in my pay at my job, i am paying more for my health care now. i hope and pray this does not pass. please help me stay in my home. thank you, anne huff morrow, ohio

By Ann Shelley

February 12, 2009 12:42 PM | Link to this

I can appreciate that people are concerned with their own personal expenses and find it dificult to be asked to fund a tax levy. But the big picture is this, if the tax levy fails, property values in the district will begin to fall. With the current market conditions, this one of the only ways to help protect our home’s value. Your house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you are in a school district without buses, special education or sports activities, good luck selling it. Just ask the people in Milford. They finally passed their levy because no-one wanted to move there. If you want tax relief, apply for the homestead exemption or have your house appraised and speak to the county about your tax rate. Denying your schools is suicide to the property value! If you don’t want to pay for schools, move to Cincinnati Public and see what you get for your money.

By Jan R.

February 16, 2009 7:47 AM | Link to this

As a single mom with 2 girls and a boy this new tax is going to cost me. I don’t plan to sell my home. The state of Ohio gives each school money to run the school. If the school cannot make ends meet with that money that is given by them by the state, it should not have activities or programs. As for having the county appraising property, they will not lower the value of a home because they get a cut of that money. Look at Butler county. They said it would hurt them if they lowered the value of property in that county. Even if they did lower someone’s property value, that would hurt the value of the home should they try to sell it right? People have to ask themselves this, WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH? How much money does a school need? Do I heat my home or send my child to bed hungary? Milford passed their levy because of the busing also. Not because people didn’t want to move there. This is a way to make parents vote for a levy.

By Kathy Taylor

February 22, 2009 9:46 PM | Link to this

Little Miami graduated less students last year, than we did in 1973. There has been reckless spending. The school was given free land on Zoar and Stephens rd., then decided to pay a high price for other land on Zoar. They then proceeded to build the new school on the land that was given to them. Why did they spend the money on land that was not used. I also know they spent $65,000 for a computer program to help with the bus routes. Why should we pay for poor decision making. My father has had to sell of part of his land;because, the property tax has gotten too expensive. Many people just can’t afford it.Little Miami schools should have to tighten their belts like the rest of us.I say the should be more transparent and open about their spending. That has not happened.

By Tom

March 6, 2009 8:34 PM | Link to this

I am a republican and like everyone else I don’t like taxes. However, unlike most taxes, this is not being used to build a bridge in some distant state, it is 100% being used to keep your own community healthy. We can’t put our head in the sand and say I can’t help. The majority of the little miami school voters can afford this levy and should support this levy. This is like not paying for garbage collection and electing to throw your garbage in the street instead. It’s a protest vote that doesn’t solve anything and hurts the community. Times are tough, but we still our part of a community and our children’s education is central to that community. As one president said many years ago “There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected.” It is our time to rise to the occasion.

By Jefferson Hicks

March 16, 2009 6:24 AM | Link to this

You are right Tom. Some can afford the new property tax and then what? How much more does the school need? It is those that cannot afford the tax that worries me. Will they have to give up health care for themselves and their family to keep their homes? If they do, then how can this community be “healthy”? Again, you are right, times are tough. I am now working for the next 3 years with out a pay raise. Personally my health care cost is going up 15%. the price of gas is on its way up again. That and the price of food. The cost of heating my home. If the school has to make cuts, that is bad. People are loosing jobs every where. Why should the schools be immune from hard times? They should have to cut their budget like everyone else. Because somebody votes no, it is not a “PROTEST” vote. Maybe it is a way they are trying to keep their home, health care and some food in the house. Someone once said, “CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.” The school receive money from the federal government as well as our state government. The schools should have to make due on that.

By Nancy

March 17, 2009 7:25 AM | Link to this

JUST LOOK AT ALL THE SHERIFF’S SALES IN THIS PAPER AND TELL US WE CAN AFFORD ANOTHER PROPERTY.

By Debbie Cook

March 19, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this

if someone wants to pay for the property tax, let him or her pay for it. not all of us can afford it. some of us are not republicans and rich. when we go out to eat or to the store, we buy what we want or can afford. if the rich or well to do want to give, then let them give. when we bought our house, the 2 things we asked were how much for the house, and how much are the taxes. we would not have bought the house if the taxes were as high as they are going to go should this levy pass for Little Miami. having a high property tax doesn’t mean your property is worth more. it just means the schools have gotten over on some or most of the people and they feel they should vote for the tax because it is for the “CHILDREN”. i don’t mind taking my high school child to school. it has given us some time to talk on the way to school. our family cannot afford this tax. it also seems a lot of us can’t. do the right thing and help people keep their homes and their ways of life. vote no. thanks, Debbie Cook

By Butlerville Mom

April 8, 2009 8:14 AM | Link to this

I agree that cutting the busing was the first “scare” tactic. The sad reality is that the district will continue to squeeze and the levy will eventually get passed and in the meantime, the kids are the ones who suffer the losses. I am putting aside my anger over EVERYTHING and voting for the levy for that reason and that reason alone. AND school board members will tell you, if you honestly CANNOT afford to pay more then don’t vote for it.

By Wanting to keep my home mom

April 9, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this

even if my husband and i vote no, it doesn’t mean we will not have to pay for the tax if it passes. the school needs to “squeeze” and squeeze hard to make the most of it’s money and stop squeezing my purse. we cannot pay for this. we will loose our home and then what? do we move into a small apartment? i am not angry over this. i feel sorry for the children being used as pawns in the school’s employees game of trying to make more money and better pay for themselves. we make about half of what they make. how could they want more? i saw what some of them make. not bad. i don’t mind teachers making good money as they have a hard job to do, but they have to know times are bad right now. the school gets money from the state of Ohio to operate. as somebody said, when is enough going to be enough?

By LINDA

April 20, 2009 9:48 AM | Link to this

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO PASS A LEVY TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN ? WHEN OUR CURRENT BOARD OF EDUCATION AND POWERS IN CHARGE OF OUR CHILDRENS EDUCATION DO NOT THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE CHILDREN AT SCHOOL ! HOW CAN THEY CUT THE BUS SERVICE TO BRING THE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IF THEY WANT TO TEACH THEM ? WHY DO WE NEED THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ,BUILDING ,TEACHERS,LEVY AND BOOKS IF WE DO NOT NEED THE CHILDREN AT SCHOOL TO TEACH?? SO THE NEXT TIME LITTLE MIAMI BOARD MEMBERS AND POWERS IN CHARGE COME UP FOR ELECTION,PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WANTED YOUR MONEY TO TEACH BUT DID NOT WANT YOUR CHILDREN AT SCHOOL TO TEACH THEM! PLEASE VOTE NO ON THIS LEVY LETS SEND THEM A MESSAGE OUR CHILDREN ARE IMPORTANT AND WILL BE HELD HOSTAGE. NOT THEMS

By Little Miami Parent

April 22, 2009 11:56 AM | Link to this

I agree vote NO. The staff that LMHS stated that they laid off. Are still employed with different titles. We have a lot of families that have already lost los

By Concerned Parent

April 22, 2009 12:07 PM | Link to this

We have a lot of families in the Little Miami that are already struggling due to lay offs and this messed up economy. My family can not afford another tax. I’m struggling to keep what I have already. I don’t understand why you go to these meetings that they are having to discuss the levy and the minute the Board of Education or the Panther Pride committee hear something against the levy they want to hush these parents or taxpayer’s up. If they are taxpayer’s then they have every right to have their voices heard as well. I’m fed up with our children suffering because our school doesn’t know how to tighten their belts. Everything the school sends how if the levy does not pass affects our children. I’m so tired of dealing w/ that school. I’m ready to pull my children out and home school. All they ever want is money, money, money. The aren’t about our children. They are out for the Almighty Dollar which not a lot of us don’t have. VOTE NO!

By DiamondsJohn

April 27, 2009 4:55 PM | Link to this

The campaign does not work. I guess Little Miami swings a different way , if it doesn’t work don’t fix it. The average home in the district would have to pay an ADDITIONAL $576 per year ($1728 over three years). Let’s not forget that once they get the additional tax added, they will probably not take it off. If that is the cost of a cup of coffee per day, I don’t want to buy coffee where they do. Maybe they should try and attract some business’ to increase tax revenue instead of over taxing the people that live here. If people thought that homes were hard to sell now, wait till they tell the potential buyer that their taxes are close to $4000 a year. That will start to get houses moving again, NOT. VOTE NO on the Levy

By Walt

May 1, 2009 7:32 AM | Link to this

After doing some math, I will save by taking my child to school. It costs us about $5.00 a week in gas to take him to school. (Cutting the bus service) He gets to sleep in a little later, and doesn’t have to smell the smoke of other students smoking on the bus.

By Mark

May 6, 2009 8:20 PM | Link to this

Now that is over, this may not be read, but I would love to thank those that voted no for the levy. You all have helped me keep my home for my wife and children. We owe it all to those who said no. Thank You!! Mark S.

By AndrewBoldman

June 4, 2009 8:07 PM | Link to this

da best. Keep it going! Thank you