6.9-Mill School Levy Heads Toward August Ballot

The Strongsville School Board Tuesday night approved the first of two measures to place a 6.9-mill operating levy on a special election ballot Aug. 2.

The levy is 3 mills less than the 9.9-mill issue voters will see on the ballot May 3. Treasurer Bill Parkinson said last week than a higher-than-anticipated property tax collection this month -- about $1.6 million more than expected -- changed the district's financial forecast and made the smaller levy possible.

Parkinson he is deliberately conservative in projecting revenue.

The 6.9-mill issue, which would run for four years, would generate an estimated $10 million a year and cost homeowners $211 a year for every $100,000 in valuation. The 9.9-mill issue, which would run for a continuing period of time, would cost $303 a year and generate $14.3 million a year.

Because of election filing deadlines, the school board was put in the ticklish situation of having to decide the size of the levy the district would seek in August before knowing the outcome of the May election.

School Board President Jennifer Sinisgalli had already started to debate reducing the size of the levy, saying it appeared doomed to fail because of tough economic conditions, when Parkinson determined the district could get by with the smaller issue.

The board has already cut more than $6 million out of the next school year's budget to ward off a deficit, including teachers, other staff and the middle school language program.

In addition, student athletes will see pay-to-play fees of $400 per sport at the high school and $300 at the middle schools, with a $1,200 family cap.

If the 9.9-mill levy should pass in May, the district would remove the levy from the August ballot.