Lakeview schools await word on state, federal funding

CORTLAND — Voters passed a 3.15-mill levy last week, but Lakeview Board of Education members are still concerned that potential cuts on the federal and state levels may hit the district in the future.

Failed levies the last two years resulted in cuts in school busing, pay-to-play sports and cuts in the teaching staff. A 3.85-mill levy that would have brought in $1.05 million annually was narrowly defeated in November.

The failed levy in November was the seventh attempt at obtaining new money since 1999. The special election last week, resulting in the passage of a 3.15-mill levy, cost the district about $12,000.

Board members were hoping the 3.15-mill levy would pass in order to maintain current levels of staffing and funding. Without the passage of the levy, the district would have lost out on $890,000 it was getting annually from an expiring 3.23-mill emergency levy.

However, district legislation representative and board member Donna Zuga said future deficits could affect the district in 2010 because of changes in federal and state funding.

She said under Gov. Strickland’s recently proposed state budget, the district would not receive any increase in funds for the 2009/2010 school year, while the district would actually get $127,304 less that it currently receives for the 2010/2011 school year. Zuga said the amount is roughly 2 percent of the total state funding it receives.

Read more in Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com