Voters in two Portage County school districts rejected new money issues in Tuesday's election.
Aurora City School District sought Issue 32, a bond issue to raise about $136.35 million to build a new high school, revamp other buildings and shutter one aging elementary school. Ravenna City School District sought Issue 33, an emergency levy that would have given the district more than $3 million annually over five years to avoid cuts due to looming budget shortfalls.
The Aurora issue crossed county lines, with about 671 voters in Summit County weighing in from one precinct. Voters in Portage County, though, rejected the issue with 5,967 voters saying no, and 4,452 supporting the issue.
Issue 33 in Ravenna also failed, with 4,638 no votes to 3,886 yes votes, according to final, unofficial results from the Portage County Board of Elections.
Some of the voters who were interviewed Tuesday said they supported the levies, while others said no.
Aurora bond issue
Issue 32 is a 7.57-mill bond issue to raise more than $136 million to pay off a large-scale facilities-improvement project over 37 years. The issue would raise $265 per year per $100,000 in home value.
District officials said the project is needed to address needs of the individual buildings, as well as current crowding at some schools and increasing population anticipated in coming years.
The plan includes the construction of a new 274,000-square-foot high school and work on three of the four other existing buildings, including:
Ravenna levy
Voters in Ravenna district saw Issue 33, an 8.31-mill, five-year levy that is projected to raise $3.25 million each year for operating costs.
It would cost homeowners $291 per year per $100,000 in property value.
This will be the district's fourth attempt to pass an operating levy. The most recent was in March, when voters rejected a 6.9-mill, five-year levy that would have generated $2.7 million annually.
"Ravenna School District is in a state of fiscal caution with the state of Ohio, and that means that there's additional monitoring by the state, additional reporting, and the potential to fall deeper into a state of fiscal crisis," said Laura Wunderle, who is deputy treasurer and handles communications for Friends of Ravenna Schools, which campaigned for the levy.
Voters have their say
Many voters in Ravenna and Aurora said they were concerned about the tax issues.
Patricia Greathouse, a parent, said the Ravenna levy was one of the issues that drew her to the polls Tuesday at Ravenna Elks Club. She said she has two children who are students in the district.
"I saw how much they had to cut back," she said.
Meanwhile, Ravenna Township resident Michael Trautman said he voted against the levy. He said when they built the high school, they asked for funding three years later.
"It sticks in my craw," he said.
Sylvia Vishnevski said she voted for the Aurora bond issue. She said her grandchildren attend the schools.
But Jenna Lovasz said she came to vote against "some of the tax issues," including the Aurora bond issue. She said she usually votes for school levies.
"But that's a pretty big hike," she said.
Other school issues
Portage County voters approved a pair of renewal levies in Streetsboro.
Issue 35 − Streetsboro City School District, renewal of a 3.5-mill, five-year levy that raises nearly $1.66 million annually for current expenses. It costs homeowners $82 per year per $100,000 in home value. That issue was approved 4,537 to 3,946, according to complete but unofficial results from the Portage County Board of Elections.
Issue 36 − Streetsboro City School District, renewal of a 3.9-mill, five-year levy that raises nearly $1.92 million annually for current expenses. It costs homeowners $97 per year per $100,000 in home value. The issue was approved 4,378 to 4,059, according to complete but unofficial results from the Portage County Board of Elections.
Other school levies on the Nov. 5 ballot affected some Portage County voters. Vote totals for those issues, however, were not available on deadline, as Summit County results were not complete:
Issue 34 − Stow-Munroe Falls City School District, an 8.89-mill bond issue to raise nearly $240 million over 35 years to construct four new elementary schools and a new middle school, and demolish existing schools. It would cost homeowners $311 per year per $100,000 in home value. Complete but unofficial returns from Portage and partial results Summit counties showed the issue trailing, 9,086 to 6,024.
Issue 37 − Tallmadge City School District, replacement levy restoring an existing levy to 1.25 mills. It would collect $807,000 per year, and cost property owners $40 per year per $100,000 in home value. The issue appeared to be leading, with 3,891 votes in favor and 3,317 against, with ballots still outstanding in Summit County.
Issue 38 − Mogadore Local School District, additional 5.9-mill, five year levy that would collect $743,000 annually, and cost homeowners $207 per year per $100,000 in home value. The issue failed, 1,238 to 1,015, according to complete but unofficial results from the Portage County Board of Elections and partial results from Summit.
Issue 39, 40 and 41 − Springfield Local School District was seeking renewal of three levies. Issue 39 (Issue 37 in Summit County) is a renewal of a 1.62-mill, five-year levy that generates $930,000 annually. It costs homeowners $50 per year per $100,000 in home value. The issue was trailing, 2,026 to 1,881, with results in Portage County complete but unofficial but results in Summit County incomplete.
Issue 40 (Issue 36 in Summit County would renew a 2.79 mill levy. If renewed, the levy would cost property owners $50 for each $100,000 of the county's appraised value. It was trailing 2,049 to 1,872.
Issue 41 (Issue 38 in Summit County would renew a 7 mill levy. If approved, it would cost $110 for each $100,000 of the county fiscal officer’s appraised value. It was trailing, 2,098 to 1,770.