LORDSTOWN Panel chairman: Rejection would be horrible

The school superintendent says Lordstown schools will 'implode' without the levy.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- If voters don't approve a 6-mill school levy next month, they won't like the results, warns the chairman of the school district's oversight committee.
Voters are being asked to approve the emergency issue on the Nov. 6 general election ballot that will bring in $770,000 annually.
William Wenger, chairman of the state commission appointed to oversee school district finances, said that despite the district's efforts in reducing expenses, Lordstown faces a $730,000 general fund deficit by the end of fiscal 2003, which is June 30, 2003.
Wenger explained during a Tuesday commission meeting that an analysis shows the district will end fiscal 2002, on June 30, 2002, with a $140,000 surplus.
But the school district will stop receiving a share of the village income tax receipts at that time, accounting for lost revenue.
"That's why this levy is important," Wenger said.
If the $730,000 has to be cut from the general fund budget, "you're not going to like what your school district looks like," Wenger continued.
What's being done: The district will reach the $730,000 deficit, the chairman explained, without giving pay raises except those resulting from experience ratings.
The commission has made cuts through eliminating staff positions since the district went under fiscal emergency in January.
This is the second levy voters will face this year. They rejected a 10.2-mill issue in May that would have raised $1.3 million annually.
Why this matters: Schools Superintendent Ray Getz called the November issue the most critical decision that voters will make in their history. He added that he is concerned voters don't seem to understand how critical it is.
"We will implode," Getz said, noting that the results will be horrible if the levy is rejected.
Continued reduction of expenses can't solve the problem alone, Getz said, noting that school funding doesn't allow districts to keep pace with inflation.
Becky Albrecht, school board president, has called the first meeting of the levy committee for 8 tonight in the high school library.
Larry Crawford, high school principal, reported to the commission that the school is running efficiently despite cuts.
He explained that some programs have been eliminated and other classes such as computer technology have been combined.
He attributed the smooth operation to cooperation among the students and faculty.
The next oversight commission meeting will be 10 a.m. Nov. 7 at the library.
yovich@vindy.com