Schools

School Board to Debate Next Step after Levy Failure

District could put issue on ballot in November or ask for renewal of expiring issue instead

The Strongsville School Board will meet Thursday to figure out the district's next step following the decisive defeat of a 6.9-mill levy Tuesday.

"The public sent the board a very clear message," board member David Gusman said. 

The levy, which would have generated about $10 million a year and allowed the district to restore some cut programs, was nixed by 80 percent of voters. 

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Unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections show the issue went down 8,827 to 2,164.

Failure of the levy means made by the school board will stay in place. Students will pay to participate in sports and other extracurriculars.

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Gusman said the school board, which initially believed it had to decide by Aug. 1 whether to put an issue on the November ballot, has learned it actually has until Aug. 10.

Some options:

• Return the 6.9-mill levy to the ballot for another try.

• Place a 6-mill, five-year renewal levy before voters. The levy is set to expire in 2012.

• Put the 6-mill renewal on the ballot in the fall, but make it a continuing issue that would not have to be renewed again in five years.

Gusman said the cuts, coupled with better-than-predicted property tax collections and less severe state funding cuts that expected, mean the district should get through the 2011-2012 school year in the black, without taking any cash advances.

"It's the next school year where we'll run into trouble," he said.

Thursday's school board meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the , 13200 Pearl Rd.


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