Passage of Girard levy is crucial for schools

Passage of Girard levyis crucial for schools
EDITOR:
The community of Girard has a critical decision to make Nov. 4: the passage of a 5.9-mil operating levy. The passage of this levy, at this time, is absolutely essential to the continued successful operation of the Girard city schools.
As president of the Girard Education Association, I have worked closely with the administration and staff of the school system, I have watched the mandates come down from the state and federal government only to discover that the requirements thrust upon the school systems will not be fully funded. The government expects the local school system to come up with the money.
As with your own home, expenses such as electric and gas have risen over the years. Meanwhile, the Girard City School District has not asked the voters for any tax increase since 1988. Our administrative assistant to the superintendent and many individual teachers have written grants that were successfully funded to provide materials for our pupils and necessary training for our staff members. The children of Girard have greatly benefited from the revenue generated by these grants. However, it is getting increasingly more difficult to receive these grants and many of them are restricted in use of the monies.
We desperately need to increase our operating budget to accommodate the increasing expenses of successfully educating our children to meet the challenges of a changing world.
Passage of this operating levy would generate approximately $800,000 and would place our school system on solid ground again. Our current millage stands at 44, ranking us 11th among the 20 districts in Trumbull County. This is far below the highest of 53.78 mils. The revenue will be used to purchase and update technology, purchase instructional supplies and textbooks, fund unfunded/under-funded mandates, as well as pay normal operating expenses. This money would enable us to continue the history of fine education provided by highly qualified, well-trained teachers.
The members of the Girard Education Association respectfully join me in asking you, the citizens of Girard, to vote YES for the operating levy Nov. 4. Together, we can continue the great work of providing the best education possible for all of our children. They are our future and deserve only the very best to help them succeed in life.
JULIA A. MEDICUS
President
Girard Education Association
Letter offended this Catholic
EDITOR:
In an Oct. 23 letter to this paper, a writer unleashed vitriol that went beyond necessity. As a Catholic, I found this offensive. He is free to think and believe as he pleases. I wouldn't think of telling him what to think or believe, but he obviously thinks he has a right to tell others.
What amazes me is that this writer must think that only Catholics have been led astray. Who is he to make such a pronouncement? Perhaps, he is the one who has been led astray. Finally, he failed to acknowledge that people wrote the Bible.
GEORGIA TURCO
Struthers
There's good care right here
EDITOR:
The Cleveland Clinic may have some great professional doctors, but Youngstown has quite a few too.
I went to Cleveland and was told they couldn't do anything for me. Sorry. I had a tumor on the liver. The doctor there said it was too big, I had lost 30 pounds or more in a short time, and I was 80 years old. So I came back to Youngstown, and Dr. Kenneth Ransom said we can try this method. No guarantees. It was up to me. I had the surgery late in June. For now it is dormant and I feel great.
God gave Dr. Ransom a gift with his hands and confidence. God bless him.
I owe a few doctors here in town for giving me a little more time here on earth. They are very special and very good in their professions!
EVELYN FRANCOSKY
Youngstown