ISSUE 52 – UPPER ARLINGTON SCHOOLS – 4-MILL LEVY

 

What’s on the Tuesday, November 5 ballot for our schools?

Voters will see a 4-mill continuing operating levy on the ballot.  The 4-mill levy is a reduced amount and it comes with a commitment not to return to the ballot for four years. On the ballot it appears as Issue 52.

 

The millage was reduced from last year. How?

This reduced levy amount is possible due to $13.4 million in cuts and reductions to our budget over the next four years and to $4.5 million in further planned reductions to be accomplished through a four-year cost efficiency plan. 

 

Our community spoke and the Board listened: We want leaner costs and excellent results. 

 

What have our schools done to reduce costs?

A lot. Our schools are doing their part to reduce the budget responsibly.  If the levy fails, then our schools can no longer wait and will need to enact sizeable cuts – cuts beyond the more than 30 jobs already cut and the additional $4.5 million in reductions planned over the next four years.  Those are cuts that will hit to the core of our schools and our classrooms.  

 

If we care about our schools we cannot afford more cuts, reductions, or losses of teaching positions.  Excellence Matters… and this election matters.

 

What does passage of Issue 52 for our schools mean?

Issue 52 will support continued excellence for our schools.   This levy will allow us to offer excellent academics and opportunities for students while the district moves forward with $4.5 million in planned efficiency reductions.  It means we can avert further and deeper cuts that come if the issue fails.

 

What happens if Issue 52 fails?

If Issue 52 fails, then we all lose.

 

If the levy fails then our schools can no longer wait and will need to enact $6 million in cuts – cuts beyond the $13.4 million cut, beyond the more than 30 jobs already cut and beyond the additional $4.5 million in reductions planned over the next four years. The next round of cuts will hit to the core of our schools and classrooms.

 

Just as important, the need to pass a levy does not go away if the issue fails.  In fact, waiting until the next year to pass a levy only makes it more costly for everyone.  Why?  Because the millage amount would increase due to yet another year of delayed collection.  That means we would get even less and pay more with another failure.

 

Aren’t cuts just a threat?

No.  In this last election we learned first-hand that cuts are real and that they hurt. Last year’s levy failure cost 30 teaching and other jobs.  On top of cuts already made, our schools cut and reduced expenses by $13.4 million over the next four years.

                                          

It’s simple.  We can’t cut our way to excellence.  Continued cuts only mean that we hurt our students and schools. 

 

What does the levy cost?

The cost of Issue 52 for every $100,000 of home value is $140 per year ($11.67 per month).