Lakota to seek 6.9-mill levy in May

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By Dave Greber, Staff Writer Updated 11:43 PM Monday, February 8, 2010

LIBERTY TWP. — The Lakota Board of Education Monday night, Feb. 8, agreed to proceed with placing a relatively new type of levy on the May ballot.

The district of 18,500 students will be asking residents in Liberty and West Chester townships and parts of Monroe to support a 6.9-mill incremental levy on May 4.

Incremental levies use one vote by taxpayers to support two millage rates.

In this case, if approved, the incremental levy would continue at the 6.9-mill level until 2012, then automatically increase by 4.9 mills between 2012 and 2014.

If approved, the levy would cost an additional $211 per year per $100,000 in home value from 2010 to 2012, then $361 — a $150 increase — from 2012 to 2014. District finance officials said they anticipate heading back to voters for another operating levy in 2014.

Lakota Treasurer Craig Jones said incremental levies have been used by Ohio school districts for only the past 10 years, including most recently in Mason.

The resolution of necessity the board unanimously approved Monday cues the county auditor to begin factoring land value in the district, providing the board with a certified expectation the proposed levy would generate.

The board must now approve a resolution to proceed by Feb. 18, the deadline to file the necessary paperwork with the Butler County Board of Elections.

The incremental levy would generate an estimated $19.32 million per year for the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years, and an additional $13.72 million in 2012 and after.

“I think the incremental (option) takes into account where the community is right now with the economy,” Board member Lynda O’Connor said Monday.

Lakota’s financial troubles are not expected to wane anytime soon, officials have said.

The county’s largest district — and the state’s largest rated excellent with distinction — is fighting flat funding since 2005 despite an increase of more than 1,500 students, a 3 percent reduction — or about $1.3 million — in state funding over the next two years and unfunded state mandates, such as all-day kindergarten. Lakota’s five-year financial forecast includes an expected deficit of $28 million by the start of the 2011-12 school year without new funding and deep cuts.

Lakota began the year by slashing more than $4.2 million from its $165 million budget. Another $6 million in cuts — including the equivalent of more than 105 teachers and staff — were announced Feb. 3.

REFER TO LAKOTA BLOG

www.journal-news.com/lakotaschoolsnews

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"Why is it all of you want to steal from children?"

RC should ask that not of voters, but of those closest to them...their teachers. Their costs, their intransigence to reform and their strike threats if we don’t meet their demands harm our children more. If unions truly believe they are worth what they demand, then they should prove it by removing their contractual protections to let market forces decide.

Consumers win when competition prevails, its time it prevailed in education too.

Bold Change Needed
2:34 PM, 2/10/2010

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Dear "RC",

You are a pro-union stooge. Have you read the previous comments? We ain't gonna let you steal our homes levy-by-levy so that you can retire early with a gold-plated pension. The levy money never makes it to our kids, it goes to double-dippers like Klink. The pension ponzi scheme has been exposed and this levy is going down big time. Until the sock puppets on the board are gone and labor costs are fixed, no levy will pass. You are to blame - you throw our kids under the bus.

Bob
1:18 PM, 2/10/2010

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Do you want our district to be like Miami's? Everyone is trying to get into Kings Local and won't be able to. They changed the rules because they saw this coming. Those kids are screwed! The state will take over, property values will go down, and all because people want to same some money when it comes to education. There are far better places to cut spending. Why is it all of you want to steal from children?

RC
12:06 PM, 2/10/2010

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If you want to have a school system like Cincinnati, or Dayton, or Columbus; then by all means hire any teacher that will work for $24k per year. Get rid of all the perks that exist. Cut things to the bare bones and save lots of money.

This is not about saving money. It is about educating our children. Wake up people! You do not get an excellent school system by spending the same amount as everyone else. You get city public schools which is why many of you moved here. Don't like it? MOVE!

RC
12:03 PM, 2/10/2010

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Given the board information it's clear that salaries, benefits and transportation MUST be cut. 5% salary cut for ALL, increase co-pay and cut transportation to state minimum. Why would anybody vote yes for a levy before Lakota completes a new contract with teachers. If they don't agree with the cuts then let them walk! Appears to be many teachers looking for work that would be happy to work in Lakota. CUT SALARIES, BENNIES, TRANS BEFORE ASKING FOR A LEVY! Show TAXPAYERS real cuts before a levy

WhatRUThinking
6:59 AM, 2/10/2010

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