SCHOOLS Emergency millage may prove to be a tough sell

Seniors may be resistant, the steering committee hears.
LIBERTY -- Persuading senior citizens and voters without children in the school district to vote for the upcoming five-year, 7.9-mill emergency millage will be a difficult test for members of the levy's steering committee.
The committee met Tuesday at the high school auditorium in a session designed to educate voters about the need for the levy. Many in attendance said it was not audience members who need to be convinced.
"It's the seniors," said resident Joe Tufaro. "Seniors don't use the school and they are on a fixed income. They don't see where the money goes and they aren't here. They are tough to convince."
Reaching out
Members of the steering committee urged everyone to go door to door, talk to neighbors and friends and explain why the levy is needed. They asked those in attendance to spread the word to senior citizens and residents who don't have children in the district.
"We want to reach everyone," said Wendy Szakacs, co-chairman of the steering committee.
Robert Lackey, board president, told the group that if the levy continues to the fail, and the school is unable to keep up high standards, property values could be reduced.
"The need is not going to go away," said resident Sandra Webber. "If the levy fails the hole will just get bigger. This will decimate our school district and kill our athletics. Please vote yes, our kids need your support."
The board has created an impact plan that will go into effect if the levy fails, as it did three times in the last year.
The two most controversial components of the plan are:
UA proposal to charge a $485 fee per student for participation in any sport and an $85 per pupil fee for all other extracurricular activities.
UElimination of busing for high school students and pupils living less than two miles from their schools.
Other cuts possible
Other parts of the proposal include cutting a fourth year of foreign language at the high school, eliminating a vocal music teacher at the elementary school and eliminating a math and science class at the high school.
Larry Prince, school superintendent, and Lackey stressed they hope to keep all of the programs now offered.
"Vote yes and this all goes away," Lackey said, referring to the cuts.
Lackey noted that the district has provided outstanding education for students. He stated that the in the past 10 years there were 72 National Merit Scholars in Trumbull County and 43 were from Liberty.