Same old story - Give children a State Minimum education so they can take remedial classes in college, whine about no money to pay for cops to do their disciplining because we don't isolate the troublemakers, and stick it to the taxpayer who is being sold a bill of goods that we NEED the money to build big new buildings to replace our empty little ones so that we can spend more money on bus transportation. Makes perfectly good sense to me! -NOT!

I'm absolutely all for bettering the education and school experience for our youth...its funny though that this comes out just days after we find out the schools will be receiving money quarterly from the casino revenue. To the tune of $102,000....

Nikki- The casino revenue is the equivalent of about 1/10 of ONE payroll for our district. It will be absorbed into the general fund and, to be honest, only makes up for a portion of the shortfalls in projected revenues from other revenue sources. To try to put that more plainly- 100K doesn't cover the 900K in lost "income" for the district.

The 100K in casino revenue doesn't begin to cover the cost of the maintenance issues this levy would pay for. This isn't a levy "for the kids" so much as "for the buildings and grounds." BUT- It can be used for technology improvements. Which obviously would benefit our youth. In fact, Sumco Res- this levy has nothing to do with replacing buildings. It has to do with maintaining the buildings we have AND making improvements to our "technology infrastructure" so that we can deliver the education kids deserve, in a safe environment, in a way that puts ALL kids on a path to success.

We CAN'T do it with declining revenue sources, contractual obligations to meet with bargaining units, increasing cost's for EVERYTHING we use, and let our buildings crumble around us.

All I'm saying is they will be getting roughly 400,000 a year that was never there before. 400,000 a year you never had before and will continue to get from here on out(unless for some reason all the casinos close) doesn't just get absorbed. If used for the right things I'm sure it can go a lot farther. Enjoy your blogging!

No new levies. Simple as that.

I'm a senior citizen. I just got a 1.7% COLA increase or about $18 a month extra after Medicare increase. MY personal building and grounds (my home & lot) are also deteriorating and my technology is a land line and dial up internet. I too have a list of projects on hold. Difference is > I DO have tax increases > in the form of requested levies. I also have increasing costs for health insurance (secondary) and why name them all ?? We'll have to vote NO an any increase.

I know what you are saying Terry. I am a senior citizen as well. It just seems to me we need a better way to fund our schools. There are going to be more and more senior citizens and it will be harder and harder to pass the levies for the schools. I don't know what the answer is but it can't all come from the property owners. I know they need more money to maintain the school buildings but getting it from the the seniors is not the answer. We just need a better way to fund the schools. We need better schools and equiptment for better kids.

Earl and Adam, I am all for no new taxes!!! I don't like taxes anymore than the next guy. I am on a fixed income too. How can we pay for the deteriorating buildings and new technology with less money coming in from the State and less taxes being paid from all the laid off workers or workers working for low paying jobs? We want great schools. How can we get them with less money?

How do all the property tax delinquencies play into this?

I tell you Adam. That's another good one where the schools are getting less money. It's no wonder they need more.

Why is it always up to the home owners to pay for the schools? I do not have children and I have been a homeowner for 30 years and I have paid for everyone else's kids. What about the people in low income housing with kids? How do they pay for schools? Increase sals tax, that is fair for everyone.

Earl, I am not sure all your ideas can work but you do have some different ideas that need to be considered. You are thinking outside of the box.
Actually they do have class fees so to speak. The people that have kids in school know those fees as all the extras that each class requires such as work books, special notebook paper etc. All that stuff costs parents extra, times each child.
The citizens are broke. Our state is broke. All the states are broke. The Federal Government is broke. I am with you, something needs to give and something will give eventually. It can't keep going like it is.
Everytime you go to the store there is less and less product in the package and the price has gone up too. Something has to give!

I don't think anyone has the answer on how to pay for the schools.

One of the things that my wife and I looked at when we moved here 6 years ago was the quality of the schools. We knew that eventually we'd like to have kids and would want them to have a great education. We liked Falls, and several other areas around here but finally decided on Cuyahoga Falls and bought a house largely on the quality of the schools.

One of the things people look at, especially younger people, when looking for a place to start a family is the education system. Back where I grew up, the school board has now lowered all of the schools to "State Minimum" standards, why would I move back there with my family?

Our current and future economy needs well educated workers to be able to compete for jobs in a global market. My children are not going to have the luxury of walking out of high school where they've received a "good enough" education into a factory churning out widgets for the next 40+ years. Having a strong education system benefits everyone, young, old, working, retired, by creating productive members of society, new jobs, and everything else that makes the world go round.

Are there different ways that it can be funded? Probably, and those should be looked at, but anymore I often feel that we've lost the idea that we are in this together and everyone is just worried about themselves and their little batch of earth.

I agree with you on the property values, keeping better schools for better education. The problem is, people are broke, especially older people on fixed incomes. They are to the point where they have to decide if they want to buy groceries or the expensive prescription they need. Then what do they do if their taxes go up?
That's true, they are worried about themselves and wondering where their next meal will come from. Wondering if they will get enough gas to get to the soup kitchen. A huge amount of those people are turning thumbs down on new levies and you can't blame them. Eat or pay higher taxes. Humm
I do agree to a certain extent some people are out for themselves. All you have to do is drive around a little and you will see them driving in their SUV's. Pulling out in front of you or cutting you off, Come to a 4 way stop with 3-4 cars there, they are the first ones to go thinking they are better than or more important then us. Even thou they were the last ones there.

Are you kidding?

Yes, where did Nikki get the $400,000 figure??

If its a quarterly tax revenue we are receiving, 100,000 x's 4 = 400,000. Now of course being this info comes from something I read on the internet, doesn't mean its true..but I haven't seen anything that shows its false. Also, just got my joyful tax bill....$666.68 towards cuyahoga falls CSD a HALF. $1,333.36 A YEAR!! I'm a one income household. I think I already pay enough per year!!!

Kikki, I just read in the City Press that the schools get a payment from the casino every 6 months. This was their first payment.

I know Earl. It gets to the point where a person can't pay anymore. Things are getting bad and are going to get worse unless the government gets it's spending under control. Inflation is already starting to kill us. Every time we go to buy a grocery item it has gotten smaller and the price has gone up too. I am sure the schools are having the same problem.

As a parent in this school district, of course I want the best for our schools and students. I support the schools in every way I can by volunteering my time, donating, fundraisers, and all the fees that are due every year. I think we all want the best for our kids..our community.. and our future! It's just awful to keep kicking people when they're already down. The tax delinquencies will continue to grow and grow and the number of foreclosures will do the same if people can't afford to live. Then our kids will be homeless cause their parents couldn't afford their homes anymore...clearly, whatever happens I'll continue to pay my bills and work even more than I already do now to make ends meet. But there are some that don't have the ability to work more and make more..