ROSS TWP., Ohio — Officials at Ross Schools recently made another public pitch to convince local voters to raise taxes.
The Ross School system, which saw residents defeat the same proposed tax hike in August, will begin to fall under state financial control should the current levy on the Nov. 8 ballot also be rejected, said school officials in recent public statements posted online.
A statement from school officials, including Ross’ governing board, said even after millions of dollars in budget cuts, the district will face more personnel and program reductions should voters again reject the 7.99-mill, five-year, emergency operating levy.
“Unfortunately, we are in a financial crisis,” said Ross officials. “If the levy does not pass ..., the district will face immediate and difficult decisions. These decisions will affect every building in our district.”
Leaders of the Ross Local School District issued a statement that says if a tax levy supporting the district that will be on the Nov. 8 election ballot fails, cuts are coming.
According to the statement, officials said another levy loss will force them to examine the following areas for potential cuts:
- Transportation, exploring going to a state minimum service.
- Elementary, intermediate and middle school specials, considering eliminating arts classes, physical education and music.
- School start and end times, which would be impacted if the specials get eliminated.
- High school block schedule, moving to a traditional seven-bell schedule because of the amount of elective offerings being impacted. This would change the College Credit Plus and Advanced Placement Courses.
Moreover, said Ross leaders, if the levy fails, they may need to ask for a higher millage on the May 2023 ballot.
“We’ll need as much as $1,200,000 in additional permanent cuts to remain at 7.99 mills,” the statement reads.
“Some have asked if we can ‘cut’ our way out of this financial crisis. We would say no. To do so, $4 million in permanent cuts would have to be made, at which point, the district would be in devastation,” reads the statement.
“We will continue our conversations around school finances and pledge to remain 100% transparent with all community members.”
The stakes are high for the Ross levy, which is on the ballot for a second consecutive election after voters there widely rejected the same levy in August. Officials have said because of the possible takeover of operational finances by the state due the district’s projected budget shortfalls, they are required by state school finance law to continue to ask residents for more tax money should this levy fail.
Moreover, future school tax issue millage amounts will be larger and determined by officials from the Ohio Department of Education and Ohio Auditor’s offices unless Ross generates more revenue by voters passing the levy.
Residents opposing the Ross levy have said their reasons include the nation’s high inflation rate and the rising costs of food, goods and services, which are squeezing their paychecks making their support of any school hike in property taxes unfeasible.
Some others opposing the tax issue also criticize the district’s spending in recent years, though school officials counter recent changes in state funding has short-changed the school system’s level of state financial support.
Mandy Rice, campaign leader of the pro-Ross levy effort, told our partners at the Journal-News earlier this month she knows the timing during economically tough times is not ideal but the school system, which has made sweeping program and personnel cuts in response to projected deficits and decreasing state funding, has no other option.
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