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‘Gut-wrenching;’ Local school districts reacts after voters reject levy

By WHIO Staff
By WHIO Staff

ENGLEWOOD — Two of the Miami Valley’s bigger school districts face tough decisions because of what voters decided Tuesday.

Voters in the Northmont Local Schools district ultimately chose to reject a 5.5-mill emergency levy expected to generate about $4 million a year.

“Our leadership team, central office, principals, teaching staff and everybody is going to be having conversations about where we go from here,” Linda Blum, Northmont Board of Education President said.

The district’s superintendent called it “gut-wrenching.”

In May, the district closed Englewood Elementary and got rid of almost 30 jobs to save money because voters rejected an emergency operating levy.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Voters reject Northmont Schools tax levy

“We don’t spend money frivolously and we’re pretty much a service organization,” Blum said.

But Jeff Stickler, whose kids graduated from the district disagreed.

“I believe they haven’t spent the taxpayers’ money wisely,” Stickler said.

In Centerville, 57 percent of voters were against their district’s levy which would’ve raised almost $13 million a year.

The district said in a statement its next steps include “a recommendation on when to return to the ballot, as well as a discussion about potential reductions for the 2024-25 school year.”

>> RELATED: Voters reject Centerville levy looking to benefit schools

Both districts said they spend more than they take in.

Blum said inflation also contributed to its deficit.

“A big factor I believe, was the fact that we’re in the reappraisal of our properties. People are fearful of what is going to do the reappraisals because they’ve jumped so much. They’re fearful of what that’s going to do to their property taxes,” she said.

If Northmont’s levy passed it would’ve cost a homeowner almost $200 a year per 100,000 in value of their home.

It would have been based on 2022 property value.

Northmont does not know if it will put another levy on the ballot.





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