This is a difficult topic and I wish Ohio would come up with a better way to fund public schools. I also wish that the money the schools do have could be used somewhat less on administration and more on education.

Perhaps this is way too simplistic, but it often feels like we're using our resources to pay for more people to tell others how and what to teach rather than actually improving the teaching situation.

Jonathon Keller
Stow

I hear where you're coming from. However the reality of why the Stow-Munroe Falls school district needs more money is because state funding for schools has been flat and is actually decreasing while enrollment has increased, educator educational requirements have increased, all-day kindergarten is becoming a necessary reality and overall expenses have outpaced inflation.

The school district in my humble opinion has done quite well with what resources it has and the school district has found creative ways to supplement it's budget from other income sources.

The state legislature has seen fit not to adequately address the issue of school funding.
Until they do so, local communities all over Ohio will have to find ways to increase local revenues to support schools.

Compared to other places I have lived in the US, the taxes for schools here are actually quite reasonable. For example, in Pennsylvania, where citizens are pay income taxes locally and in amounts similarly to communities in Ohio and where the state income tax rate is similar, school taxes overall are significantly higher.

It is hoped that increases in property values can match the inflation rate so additional school taxes would not be necessary and it would only be necessary for property taxes to increase proportionally to increased value in housing. This has occurred somewhat in recent years, however based upon a slowdown in the housing market, it is possible that valuations may actually decrease in future years, further putting additional financial pressure upon the school district.

Therefore an additional levy will be necessary, even though I don't personally like it (very few people want to pay more than they have to in taxes) but the reality of the situation is that this levy will be necessary for the school district. Additionally, I predict that additional levies in addition to the one being voted upon soon and the levies already in place may be necessary in the next several years based upon political and economic conditions I have stated.