Funding education in Ohio has not undergone change

Let us stipulate that the nation is in the midst of an economic recession, unemployment is rising and taxpayers are just about tapped out. Let us also stipulate that in Ohio, at least, funding of primary and secondary education still largely depends on property taxes.

Thus the question: How should voters react when asked to renew a school levy, or approve a new one?

At the risk of fueling the ire of the “taxed off” crowd, we believe that even in these difficult times, the education of our young people is a moral and economic imperative. An educated workforce is essential to the revitalization of the Mahoning Valley.

While all four school issues on Tuesday’s primary election ballot in Mahoning County are renewals, five of the seven issues on the ballot in Trumbull County are for new money. It will be a tough sell, but we would urge voters to ask themselves whether they truly believe that the administrations and school boards in Liberty, Newton Falls, Southington and Weathersfield would be seeking additional funding if they had other options.

Schools superintendents and board members are well aware of the arguments put forth by opponents of school levies — the main one being that not enough belt-tightening has taken place in school districts. But, there’s just so much budget cutting that can be done before the education of the students suffers.

The following school districts in Trumbull County are seeking to bolster revenues:

LIBERTY: A 9.9-mill, 10-year additional levy to raise $2,291,362 annually for emergency requirements of the school district.

NEWTON FALLS: A 4-mill, 5-year additional levy to raise $486,000 annually for emergency requirements of the school district.

SOUTHINGTON: A 5-mill, 6-year additional levy for the emergency requirements of the school district to raise $320,000 annually.

WEATHERSFIELD: A 6.4-mill bond issue to raise $8.4 million over 28 years to build, renovate, remodel, furnish, equip and otherwise improve school buildings.

WEATHERSFIELD: A 1.6-mill, continuous additional levy to fund school improvements, to raise $131,739 annually.

Two Trumbull County districts are seeking renewals:

BRISTOL: A 4.7-mill, 5-year renewal levy for emergency requirements of the district to raise $400,000 annually.

MAPLEWOOD: A 5-mill, 5-year renewal levy for permanent improvements to raise $169,784 annually.

In Mahoning County, the districts asking voters to renew levies are:

POLAND: A 2.8-mill, 5-year renewal levy for emergency requirements to raise $1,068,055 annually.

SPRINGFIELD: The renewal of a 1-percent income tax for 5 years to raise $1,479,094 annually.

SOUTH RANGE: A 4.5-mill, 10-year renewal levy to avoid an operating deficit to raise $793,000 annually.

WESTERN RESERVE: A 4.6-mill, 10-year renewal levy to avoid an operating deficit to raise $425,000 annually.

While we support the levies on the May ballot — we historically have not taken a position for or against school income tax issues — we do offer this advice to all taxpayers in the region: Let your state legislators know that anything less than a complete overhaul of the system of funding public education in Ohio is unacceptable.

High court rulings

The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled four times that the current funding system, which depends in large measure on local property taxes, is unconstitutional. The justices said that such funding does not meet the constitutional requirement of a fair and thorough education for all Ohio's children.

We also urge the school systems to be prepared for voter rejection of the levies. Many taxpayers are not in a giving mood — even if they recognize the importance of kindergarten through 12-grade education.