Youngstown schools levy renewal on November ballot

By Denise Dick | October 25, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown City School District’s five-year forecast shows a surplus in 2020, but that’s contingent on voters renewing the levy on the November ballot.

The 10.7-mill levy, originally passed in 2008 and renewed in 2012, generates about $5.3 million annually. It costs the owner of a $50,000 home $164 per year,

Renewal means the tax rate will continue for another four years. It doesn’t involve additional money.

Brenda Kimble, school board president, said the district needs the levy renewal to continue to fund operations.

In 2012, the district’s five-year forecast showed a $48 million deficit by 2017.

“For various reasons, that didn’t happen,” said Treasurer James Reinhard. “Based on the most recent five-year forecast, we have a significant surplus through 2020. It puts the district in a position where they aren’t living from paycheck to paycheck and in a constant mode of facing fiscal watch or fiscal emergency, looking for ways to cut back on programs and so forth.”

The surplus is about $25 million by 2020. That will allow the district to make improvements through more textbooks, technology or other things, he said.

“That allows some honest-to-goodness discussions with teachers, the community, students to get down to things that can really make a difference in Youngstown City Schools,” Reinhard said. “People won’t be able to use the excuse that ‘We don’t have any money.’ The district is in a position to make major improvements.”

Without the levy renewal, the district will lose more than $20 million over four years.

“It took a lot of hard work and sacrifice by a lot of people to get from minus $48 million to plus $25 million,” the treasurer said. “To have one action eliminate that work would be heartbreaking.”

The levy doesn’t expire until the end of next year so if the renewal fails, the district has two more opportunities to seek passage.

But the five-year forecast, based in part of assumptions, would be revised and would project the dollar loss.

“From a planning perspective, that would probably delay the planning,” Reinhard said. “Instead of looking at ways to improve the district, we’ll be looking at ways to save money. Conversations about kids won’t be as emphasized as much as those about money.”

Both Kimble and Reinhard acknowledged a possible effect on the renewal from the Youngstown Plan. The legislation calls for a chief executive officer to be appointed to manage and operate the schools. His or her authority includes the power to hire and fire, reopen contracts and turn failing schools over to charter or other outside operators.

Kimble said she understands those who might oppose the new plan and want to register that opposition by rejecting the levy renewal.

“But if they’re honestly concerned about students, we need to have the levy passed,” she said.

Reinhard said he doesn’t see the up side for people who vote against the levy.

“The end result is the district doesn’t have the money no matter who is in charge,” he said. “The people who will suffer the most are the students, teachers, other employees, the community and down the line. If we do not have sufficient money to do the things that need to be done here, I don’t see who the beneficiary is.”

Kimble said the school board will continue to fight the school takeover. The board and its employee unions have filed a lawsuit and are seeking an injunction to stop provisions of the law from taking effect.