On Nov. 3, I urge Worthington voters to vote for Issue 49. It's a vote for proven results.

That's far more than a campaign slogan. It's the truth.

The Worthington City School District is one of the best districts in the state. On the most recent state report card, it earned an "excellent with distinction" rating -- the highest rating possible.

The district's educators and administrators are dedicated to student success, and it shows. Our children benefit from great teachers and programs that are essential to their futures.

The reputation of the schools brought many of us to the area and keeps us here. It's up to us to maintain proven results and keep Worthington attractive to homebuyers and businesses.

When my husband and I made the very important decision to move to this community, the quality of the schools was a critical factor. We are not the only family that carefully weighs home values, neighborhood character, city services and, most importantly, how the school district performs.

Knowing that Worthington schools are rated "excellent with distinction" tells me that they have proven, solid results. We as residents and voters have the opportunity to show a commitment to our school district by ensuring that Worthington schools have the funding necessary to continue to provide our entire community with an excellent educational system.

The district has shown and continues to show fiscal responsibility. The Worthington schools have reduced their budget by $11 million and 40 positions before seeking a November request for new funds. In fact, it's been five years since the district received new money from an operating levy.

The Worthington schools have made do with what they have, but the truth is without Issue 49, they will have to make cuts that will reduce the effectiveness of our schools and weaken our communities.

After the May levy attempt failed, school leaders listened to resident concerns and reduced the overall cost of the levy. Issue 49 is an incremental operating issue that is phased in over three years to be more affordable to residents. This proves that our leadership works hard to balance taxpayer concerns with its obligation to provide the type of education that the state has rated "excellent with distinction."

Issue 49 will allow the district to keep quality teachers and programs that are needed for our children. Without it, the district will face $14 million in cuts, including 125 staff positions.

In addition to high school transportation and district support of extracurricular activities, our elementary schools will lose guidance counselors and librarians who help our youngest children learn to excel in school. These cuts are real and are crucial to our children's development and learning potential.

Issue 49 is about more than the schools. It's about the future of our community. For that reason, I ask you to vote for Issue 49 on Nov. 3. We all have a stake in this.

Jennifer Economus is chairwoman for the Issue 49 campaign and a legislative specialist for the Ohio School Boards Association.