GIRARD Schools chief expresses the need for levy

If the levy fails, the state will make the cuts, the superintendent said.
By ANGELA V. WOODHULL
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
GIRARD -- The school district superintendent answered residents' questions about the proposed 5.9-mill levy that will appear on the November ballot.
About 100 residents attended Wednesday's Girard school board meeting to hear Superintendent Marty Santillo answer questions residents had posed at a special meeting last week.
Santillo emphasized that the levy, the first proposed to the voters since 1988, is needed to keep the schools operating at the same quality level.
If the levy does not pass, state education officials will assess the district's fiscal situation and make cuts where needed, possibly by eliminating some administrators and other personnel, the superintendent said.
The district is in fiscal caution status, and state officials could place it in fiscal emergency if the levy fails, he added.
Extracurricular activities, such as sports, also would be at risk of being eliminated or experience funding cuts.
District's aim
Santillo assured the audience that his aim was to maintain, as well as increase, the district's high standards of educational excellence.
"The [levy] money is going to be used for all aspects of operation. It will put us on solid financial ground and allow us to make some educational decisions to upgrade technology, pay salaries, reduce class size, purchase additional instructional supplies, upgrade textbooks, and pay utilities other general operating costs," Santillo explained.
If passed, the levy would generate about $800,000 per year. If it fails, there will be a deficit of nearly $1 million over a four-year period.
The district is rated 11th in total millage and 15th in operating millage out of Trumbull County's 20 school districts.
The current operating budget for 2003-04 is $12,075,000, of which 67 percent is funded by the state. The remainder comes from local property taxes.
An open forum will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Multigenerational Center to further discuss the proposed levy with school board candidates. A rally to support the levy has been scheduled for Nov. 2. John Moliterno is finance chairman for the levy committee.