Mayfield Schools to Have Levy on Spring Ballot

The Board of Education voted Thursday to put a 5.9 mill levy on the ballot in the March 6 election, acknowledging that the primary election date is subject to change.

"March is what we know as of today," Treasurer Scott Snyder said. But there is also a congressional primary set for June and there has been talk of changing both dates and having one primary in April, he added.

Snyder said he didn't know if the school board would have to talk further action to put a levy on the ballot if the election date changed.

"We'll get some advice from our legal counsel if that happens," Snyder said.

The board couldn't take a chance on waiting to find out what happens regarding the primary because Dec. 7 is the filing deadline for the March 6 primary, Snyder said.

The 5.9 mill levy would raise $7.8 million annually and cost homeowners $180.68 for each $100,000 of property valuation. The levy is split – 5.4 mills for operating expenses and 0.5 mills for permanent improvements.

The district's last levy, for 6.9 mills, was approved by voters in 2008.

School board member George Hughes said the money is definitely needed.

"I don't think there's any doubt that we need it at this point," he said. "We could wait until November, but then we only get one shot."

He said school officials would like the option to try again in November should an issue be defeated in the spring, "unless there's some terrible message that we get that we shouldn't."

Board member Al Hess added that collection of taxes from any levy issue passed in 2012 will not start until January 2013.

Snyder said financial projections, based on maintaining existing programs and including a wage freeze agreed to by all district employees for next year, showed a deficit at the end of the 2014 calendar year.

If a levy does not pass in 2012, he said future levy attempts would have to be 7.9 mills or 8.9 mills to make up for the lost funds. He added that making cuts to offset the shortage would be difficult since the district already cut $2.5 million in order to stretch the last levy for another year.