No poll magic for Barberton school levy
By BOB MOREHEAD
BGNN senior staff writer
Barberton’s 11-mill school levy was destined for spectacular failure in unofficial primary election results May 5.
The bid failed by just short of 65%, 2,527-1387.
“From here we go into fiscal emergency,” School Board President Tom Harnden said, referring to the highest level of state school fiscal oversight. Harnden said this would almost certainly result in the loss of programs the district had been trying to protect.
“We already cut our preschool in half,” Harnden said.
Historically, in fiscal emergency, the locally elected board almost becomes spectators. The state appoints a fiscal oversight board that has final say in everything. In other districts, this body has stripped districts down to bare state minimums and opened contracts for renegotiation. The state will loan money to plug the deficit, but it is an advance on the district’s own money that must be repaid in two years.
This means this failed levy will be back in November.
“We have no choice,” Harnden said. “It’s not a good position to be in.”
A measure to allow establishments in Barberton’s downtown entertainment district to apply for Sunday liquor licenses in a streamlined process was poised to pass handily
at nearly 62%, 2,389-1,437.
In local candidate races, Municipal Court Judge Diana Stevenson was unopposed for the Republican nomination for Summit County probate judge. She will face Democrat Steve Elliott, who was also unopposed, in November.
There’s too much emphasis on “pay to play and sports”.. we need more emphasis on reading, writing & arithmetic. ALL STUDENTS can benefit from that and should. If students/families “want to play sports” they should have to pay JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER VOCATION or class THAT HAS A FEE! They crying about pay to play… please. NOT ALL STUDENTS ARE INTO SPORTS SO KETS USE THE MONEY FOR “SLL STUDENTS” NOT JYST YHE ONRS THAT WANT YO PLAY. If they want to play, fine, but there’s gonna need to be a fee just like any other entertainment/extra curricular. Let’s focus our “limited funds” on what all can use, not just the “after school jocks”. Gym is a class. Playing sports is a choice.