Thursday, April 27, 2006

By CANDY BROOKS
ThisWeek Staff Writer

Like the campaign for the 6.25-mill school levy, Superintendent Melissa Conrath's final pitch to voters on Tuesday was understated.

"People need to make up their own minds; it's a personal decision like voting for a candidate," she said. "I hope people will decide to support the schools."

Compared to past election campaigns, this one has been very quiet, some say purposefully so.

But new campaign tactic or not, the day of reckoning will be the same when voters turn out next Tuesday to decide the fate of the combination operating and permanent improvements levy.

Five mills of the levy funds would be earmarked for operating expenses and 1.25 mills for permanent improvements. The operating portion of the levy would be permanent, but the permanent improvements portion would be charged to property owners for five years.

If approved, the 6.25-mill levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $191.41 annually in property taxes. That property owner already pays $1,276.75 to the schools each year.

The levy will cost the owner of a $233,400 house (the average house value in Worthington) $447 on top of $3,100.

School officials say the operating funds are needed to continue the current program.

Without it, the district will face a $6-million deficit at the end of the 2007-08 school year.

The permanent improvements part of the levy would raise $11.4-million over five years, or approximately $2.3-million a year.

Approximately half of the money, $5.6-million, would be set aside for improvements to facilities. A long list of needs includes replacement of carpets, boilers, lighting and roofs at several schools.

A contingency fund of $2.05-million would be set aside for emergencies and unanticipated needs.

The district's bus fleet would be updated with $1.99-million; technology needs would be addressed with $1.6-million; and furniture and equipment would be purchased with $185,000.

Currently, 3 percent of the district's budget is set aside for capital needs, and that has not been enough, according to Tim Gehring, director of facilities management.

Conrath said that if the levy does not pass next week, the school board will probably return it to voters in August or November.

If it doesn't pass by 2007-08, cuts would be needed, probably to staff, because 85 percent of district expenditures is for salaries and benefits.

"The board felt and I felt it was too early to come up with a specific list," she said.

The buzz word of the opposition has been "sustainability." Many question how long the district can continue to ask residents to increase their taxes to support the schools, even as enrollment declines.

This is the district's third levy request in five years, and board treasurer Jonathan Boyd has said that, even if this levy is approved, the district may need to seek a 10-mill levy in 2008.

Conrath said on Tuesday she plans to appoint a citizens advisory group to examine revenue and spending. On the revenue side, the district needs to join forces with other districts to advocate changes in state funding.

The group could also look at operations and how the district allocates resources.

"We need to consider a whole redesign of how we do business," she said.