Beachwood School Levy Passes With Ease

BEACHWOOD, OH — After garnering nearly 60 percent of the vote, the 5.9 mill Beachwood Schools levy passed easily on Tuesday night. The funds generated by the levy will replace lost state funding and keep the district's plentiful offerings of programs intact, the district said.

"Beachwood voters put their trust in their public schools yesterday. They know we will continue to offer their children an excellent education, amazing opportunities, and the fiscal prudence that allowed us to stay off the ballot for 13 years," Beachwood Schools Superintendent Robert Hardis told Patch in an email.

The district pointed out that even with the levy passing, Beachwood will continue to have some of the lowest tax rates on Cleveland's east side. Perhaps that's why voters were so comfortable passing the levy.

"Our supporters turned out in huge numbers yesterday," Hardis noted. "Their votes to pass Issue 2, at a significant margin, protected Beachwood students from severe state funding cuts. We are deeply grateful to this remarkable community!"

On Election Day, advocates for the levy were gathered outside the Beachwood High School polling location (safely on the sidewalk, the appropriate distance from the voting site). They told Patch that turnout had been strong, and voters continually took their pamphlets and said they were supporting their side. The work of those advocates clearly paid off.

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