Voters tell schools to manage with the tax dollars they have

Although four school districts in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties failed Tuesday to persuade voters that additional money was needed to provide students with the best education possible, 15 districts did succeed in winning support for tax renewals. The message from the general election seemed to be: In the current economic climate, you should operate with the dollars you are now receiving.

By contrast, the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County won approval of an additional 1.8-mill, five-year real-estate tax that will generate about $7.29 million a year to operate and maintain the 16 branches in the system, while the Girard Free Library and the McKinley Memorial Library also secured the support of the people.

For the Girard library, the 1.5-mill, continuing, additional levy for current expenses will raise $218,694 annually.

For the McKinley library, the 1.5-mill, five-year additional levy for current expenses will bring in $390,537.

Why the support for these additional taxes and rejection of those for the schools? One explanation could be that the taxpayers were aware that primary and secondary education in Ohio was spared a reduction in state funding in the current biennium, while libraries took a major hit.

Thus the question: Will voters in the Canfield district, which sought a 6.8-mill additional, in Poland, which went after 3.5-mill additional, in the Mathews district, with a 2-mill additional, and in East Palestine, with a 6.8-mill additional, have a change of heart if state funding for primary and secondary education is cut?

Given the $6 billion to $8 billion anticipated revenue shortfall in the next biennium budget, Ohio’s new governor come January, Republican John Kasich, and the Republican controlled House and Senate, will have to put every spending item on the chopping block.

That’s because Kasich, a former state legislator and congressman who defeated Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland Tuesday, has said he will not raise taxes, and, in fact, believes that tax cuts are in order.

Where will the revenue come from? Kasich has not said, but he has made it clear that the cost of state government must be reduced. That means funding for kindergarten through high school and for the state’s universities and colleges will not be exempt, as Strickland, with the cooperation of the Democratic controlled House and the Republican Senate, was able to do.

And, given Republican control of state government starting in January, there is no reason to believe a new source of funding for primary and secondary education will be pursued.

Caring people

Tuesday’s election in the tri-county area also showed that despite the tough economic times, people do care about those among us who are most vulnerable.

In Mahoning County, levies for Children Services Agency, Mental Health Board and Board of Developmental Disabilities were renewed; in Trumbull, a replacement levy for Children Service Board got a yes vote; and, in Columbiana County, voters renewed a levy for the prevention and treatment of mental health and alcohol abuse.

We have no doubt that the school districts and social-service agencies will repay the kindness of the people by being good stewards of the tax dollars.