On March 6, voters in the Van Buren School District will be asked to renew the district’s Emergency Levy for a period of four years. This is a renewal levy and will not add any additional tax burden to tax payers in the Van Buren School District. This levy was first passed in 2005 and renewed in 2008. This levy raises $1,275,000 annually for the general operating fund of the Van Buren Schools. Operating funds can be used for any legal expenditure of the school district. Primary uses of these funds are for salaries, supplies, materials, utilities, and the day to day operations of the school.
Since the initial passage of this levy the district has been extremely diligent in being financially responsible. Through this time period the district has been able to build a surplus in operating funds while providing outstanding opportunities for students. The district has been rated as EXCELLENT by the state of Ohio 6 of the past 7 years. The district was recently ranked in top 10% of school districts in Ohio. Quality staff and strong community support have been key components of this success.
The district is now on the precipice of financial decline. Reductions in state aid and losses from local revenues coupled with increasing costs have placed the district in the position where we must now begin to use our surplus funds to balance the budget. Through continued financial accountability the district intends to continue operating at a high level for several more years hoping for a turnaround in the economy and local development to push these funds as far into the future as possible. The loss of the funds generated by this Emergency Levy could lead the district to requesting additional funding from the community. Without renewal of the Emergency Levy, new, additional taxes would be required at least two year earlier and could result in staffing and programming cuts as early as next year.
Your continued support of the Van Buren Schools is essential in providing an excellent educational experience for our students. Thank you for your continued support and remember to vote on March 6.
Please feel free to contact me, or any of the Board of Education members, if you have any questions or are unclear about any of the issues pertaining to this levy. The Board and I look forward to answering any concerns that you may have about this levy and are happy to provide information and materials to Van Buren Schools supporters.
YES4VBS - Supporting Van Buren Schools
