March 6 Primary Poll: Thumbs Up or Down on Falls City Schools Levy?

To keep pace with growing scholastic rigors set forth by the Ohio Department of Education, Cuyahoga Falls school officials say they want to give young students a running head start.

In order to do so, Superintendent Todd Nichols and interim treasurer Jerry Zelenka want to extend kindergarten instruction from a half day to a full day. Problem is, the state will only cover half the bill, so the district has proposed Issue 8, a 4.75-mill renewal levy that would generate the remaining money needed to expand the program.

The issue will be on the March 6 primary ballot.

The five-year renewal levy – which originally passed in 2002 and is set to expire this year – would create $3.3 million in revenue through 2017 and would not raise taxes.

A bulk of the new revenue would go toward hiring seven to eight new kindergarten teachers and filling classrooms with computers, desks and supplies, said Zelenka.

Remaining revenue would most likely go to updating technology throughout the district, he added.

Nichols said if the levy doesn’t pass, then the district should expect further cuts to its $47 million annual budget.

Since 2010, the district has cut over $2 million in expenditures through personnel reductions and pay freezes, said Zelenka.

After you vote, please offer your comments in the box below on Issue 8.