Three levies face Ada voters on May 7:
• Proposed Ada school income tax
• Proposed (replacement) Liberty Township fire
• Proposed bond issues and tax levy (additional) Apollo Career Center
This is the first of a three-part series on those levies. This focus is the Ada school levy. An attachment at the bottom of this story has additional information.
Ada school district voters will decide the fate of a proposed new three-quarter percent income tax levy on May 7.
If passed it will continue until December 2010 (7 years) and it is anticipated to generate up to $770,000 annually, according to Ohio Department of Taxation estimates.
“The need for this levy is real,” Dr. Suzanne Darmer, Ada school superintendent, told The Icon. “Over the past three years Ada schools have experienced cuts of more than $1.2 million from state and federal funding.”
Demonstrating the amount of state funding cuts, for example, in fiscal 2009 the state provided $5,732 for each Ada student. In 2013 that amount dropped to $4,440 per student.
“This levy is about protecting our academic and non-academic programs of excellence from additional cuts,” said Dr. Darmer. “Deeper cuts will put our academic, art, athletic, music and other programs at an even great risk.”
The new levy would join an existing three-quarter percent income tax levy, approved by Ada voters in March of 2012. The existing levy, approved for five years, expires in December 2017.
The superintendent added that in addition to lower state and federal funding, grant money is decreasing and the loss of personal property tax revenue hurts the district.
The school district has already cut an estimated $175,000 from the 2013-14 school year costs.
Those cost-cutting measures include:
• Math coach to return to the classroom
• More than 20 supplemental contracts will not be filled, including -
Department chairs, TAG, D.C. trip, grade chairs, Beta Club, Camp Wilson
• The number of bus drivers will be reduced by one
• The contract with Hardin County ESC will be adjusted
• The athletic fund will be charged a portion of athletic transportation costs
• The number of K-12 field trips will be reduced
• The amount of general funds to music will be reduced
• The amount of general fund dollars spend for professional develop will be reduced
Several additional cost-savings items are under review. Those include:
• LPDC supplementals
• Cost for aides
• Extended day contracts
• Cost for materials and supplies, including paper
• Copy costs
• Utility costs, conserving energy
• Others as determined
Here are some sources for additional information on the levy:
• Advancing Ada Schools facebook page CLICK HERE
• Advancing Ada Schools website CLICK HERE
The Committee for Advancing Ada Schools has yard signs available for posting. Persons may contact the committee at:
Committee for Advancing Ada Schools
c/o Liberty National Bank
118 S. Main St.
Ada, OH 45810
Levy Wording
PROPOSED SCHOOL INCOME TAX
ADA EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT
A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.
Shall an annual income tax of ¾ % on the school district income of individuals and of estates be imposed by the Ada Exempted Village School District, Hardin and Hancock Counties, Ohio, for seven (7) years, beginning in January 1, 2014, for the purpose of current expenses of the School District?
( ) FOR THE TAX
( ) AGAINST THE TAX
