CHARLIE. THANK YOU. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. MEANTIME COMMITMENT 2024 TONIGHT MOUNT HEALTHY SCHOOLS LOOKING FOR SOME SUPPORT NOW FROM TAXPAYERS IN NOVEMBER. OKAY. SO THIS LEVY WOULD BRING AN ADDITIONAL $1.5 MILLION TO THE DISTRICT EVERY YEAR. WLWT. NEWS FIVE’S GIACOMO LUCA TALKING WITH NEIGHBORS TODAY WHO ARE WEIGHING IN BEFORE ELECTION DAY, WHICH IS JUST 15 DAYS AWAY. HI, GIACOMO. HI, MIKE AND SHERRY. YEAH, THAT’S THE DISTRICT’S FIRST LEVY REQUEST IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS. IT COMES JUST MONTHS AFTER THE DISTRICT WENT INTO A FISCAL EMERGENCY AND SOME RESIDENTS HERE HAVE MIXED REACTIONS ABOUT OFFERING MORE SUPPORT. I DON’T SEE A NEED TO TRUST THEM WITH MORE MONEY WHEN THEY MADE SUCH HUGE MISTAKES. LONGTIME MOUNT HEALTHY RESIDENT STEVE PURNELL IS FRUSTRATED WITH THE FINANCIAL STATE OF MOUNT HEALTHY SCHOOLS. THE DISTRICT RECENTLY VOTED TO RESTRUCTURE AND TOOK AN $11 MILLION LOAN FROM THE STATE OF OHIO TO DIG OUT OF A DEFICIT. I DON’T TRUST THEM. BUT PARENTS LIKE RODNEY G SAYS HE’S ALREADY VOTED TO APPROVE THE LEVY. I THINK THAT IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP OUT WITH THE KIDS, HELP OUT WITH THE TEACHERS, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS GET WHAT THEY NEED. DISTRICT LEADERS SAY THE LEVY WILL COST PROPERTY OWNERS ROUGHLY $3 PER THOUSAND OF ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE, WHICH COULD BRING IN AROUND A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS TO THE STRUGGLING DISTRICT. MOUNT HEALTHY SCHOOLS SAY CURRENT FUNDING IS NOT ENOUGH WITHOUT APPROVAL, THE DISTRICT COULD BE FORCED TO CUT PROGRAMS, INCREASE CLASS SIZES AND REDUCE SERVICES. SOME LONGTIME RESIDENTS HAVE MADE UP THEIR MINDS. I WOULDN’T VOTE FOR IT. I MEAN, IT’S ENOUGH JUST TO KEEP OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT GOING WHILE OTHERS REMAIN UNDECIDED. YOU WANT TO LIVE IN A GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND YOU WANT BETTER FOR THE KIDS. NOW WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENTS OFFICE TO REQUEST INTERVIEWS, BUT HAVE NOT HEARD
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Mt. Healthy residents weigh in on school levy ahead of November election
Residents in Mt. Healthy have mixed opinions on whether they'll support the levy, while some have already voted early.
The Mt. Healthy City School District is asking voters to support a school levy on the Nov. 5 ballot that would provide funding for the current operational expenses of the district. Residents in Mt. Healthy have mixed opinions on whether they'll support the levy, while some have already voted early."I don't see a need to trust with more money when they've made such huge mistakes," said Steve Purnell, a long-time Mt. Healthy homeowner. Parents like Rodney G, say his child is in the school district and it needs support. "I think that it's important that we all do what we can to help out with the kids, help out with the teachers, and make sure that the kids get what they need," G said. The levy would bring in roughly $1.5 million to the district, which fell into a fiscal emergency earlier this year, district leaders said in June. If approved, the levy would be assessed at $3 per $1,000 of assessed property value, according to Mt. Healthy Schools. The cost of the levy for a home assessed at $203,000 would be around $213 per year, according to Mt. Healthy Schools website. Mt. Health City Schools says the current funding is not enough to meet the growing needs of the district, according to the Mt. Healthy Schools website. The district is facing budget shortfalls that could lead to program cuts, increases in class sizes and reduced services, according to the Mt. Healthy City Schools website. The Ohio State Auditor addressed the school district's fiscal emergency in an audit earlier this year. The state provided Mt. Healthy Schools an $11 million loan, weeks after cutting 67 teachers and 13 staffers. WLWT News 5 has reached out to the school board to request interviews and has not heard back.
MOUNT HEALTHY, Ohio —
The Mt. Healthy City School District is asking voters to support a school levy on the Nov. 5 ballot that would provide funding for the current operational expenses of the district.
Residents in Mt. Healthy have mixed opinions on whether they'll support the levy, while some have already voted early.
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"I don't see a need to trust with more money when they've made such huge mistakes," said Steve Purnell, a long-time Mt. Healthy homeowner.
Parents like Rodney G, say his child is in the school district and it needs support.
"I think that it's important that we all do what we can to help out with the kids, help out with the teachers, and make sure that the kids get what they need," G said.
The levy would bring in roughly $1.5 million to the district, which fell into a fiscal emergency earlier this year, district leaders said in June.
If approved, the levy would be assessed at $3 per $1,000 of assessed property value, according to Mt. Healthy Schools. The cost of the levy for a home assessed at $203,000 would be around $213 per year, according to Mt. Healthy Schools website.
Mt. Health City Schools says the current funding is not enough to meet the growing needs of the district, according to the Mt. Healthy Schools website. The district is facing budget shortfalls that could lead to program cuts, increases in class sizes and reduced services, according to the Mt. Healthy City Schools website.
The Ohio State Auditor addressed the school district's fiscal emergency in an audit earlier this year. The state provided Mt. Healthy Schools an $11 million loan, weeks after cutting 67 teachers and 13 staffers. WLWT News 5 has reached out to the school board to request interviews and has not heard back.
