Liberty voters reject 10-year school levy

WARREN — Liberty voters overwhelmingly said no to a 9.9-mill, 10-year levy to keep the district out of serious financial trouble. The levy would have raised $2,291,362 annually.

Superintendent Mark Lucas said the result will mean that the district will have to find ways to cut $1.8 million from the district’s budget in the 2009-2010 school year. The district already cut about $400,000 this year, he said.

Among the cost-cutting are likely to be staff reductions and busing changes. The school district’s administration is already taking a pay freeze for next school year, he said.

School officials have estimated that without levy passage, the state will soon classify the district as being in either the fiscal caution or fiscal emergency classification. Under such conditions, the state could take over control of financial matters in the district, said Treasurer Tracy Obermiyer.

Read about other issues in Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com