Saturday, January 30, 2010

Rift Deepens Between Voters & Little Miami Schools

This Tuesday voters in Warren County's Little Miami school district are not only deciding on the largest proposed school tax hike in the district's history - a 16.95-mill operating levy - but also whether Ohio education officials will control much of the district should the property tax be voted down. One taxpayer is sick and tired of it.

Little Miami Schools, located in Eastern Warren County, Ohio is risking alienation of the very people who fund the school system through their property tax dollars. It may be too late! By asking the residents of the school district to vote for or against the levy for the 4th time in a little over a year is over the top. Just in November 2009, the will of the residents was made clearly known as they decidedly voted down the levy. By asking them to vote again in February of this year, the district is showing a profound lack of respect for those who already pay hefty amounts of money to Little Miami Schools through current levels of taxation. Now they are asking for a whopping 16 million, which will add over $500/year per $100,000 house/property valuation.

We are being asked to shoulder the responsibility for poor financial decisions made in the past. It’s not fair, especially in lean economic times, to ask this of us. I guess the district is hoping that the odd voting time will catch people off guard, so they can squeak through the passage of this onerous levy. I urge all of my fellow residents to get out and vote on February 2nd and defeat this levy…….again! Alienation is simply the natural result when government views the people as an ATM that can be tapped over and over again.


--Ken Jones, resident of Harlan Twp, Warren County, Ohio

2010-02-03 UPDATE 16.95 mil operating levy fails 55% to 45%. Vote for another, possibly larger levy, is planned for May 4.

6 comments:

  1. Travis Estill doesn't live there, but he supports this tax increase.

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  2. this school district should be ashamed of its self. too much tax, and the voters have had enough. their focus should be on changing the way public schools are funded. the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled it is unfair and unconstitutional to collect our tax dollars through the value of our property. lets stick with the court ruling. at least teach our children to obey the courts. there is not enough money the school needs further cuts. salary cuts, pay to ply programs for sports. responsible parents pay for your own. NO in may. No More TAX

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  3. I have a question..this district had the lowest millage allowed by the state, then the state decided to redistribut the wealth of schools from "wealthy districts" to impoverished districts. Isn't this socialism? Why aren't we going after politicians on this? What should the schools do in the meanwhile that have had 6 million dollars stolen from them?

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  4. Anonymous,

    Two remedies are possible, judicial and legislative.

    The school district is the injured party, so they could sue the state to have the theft overturned. Problem is school district officials and their ilk are the very socialists who concocted this "solution." Not likely they'll attack their own.

    State reps and senators have tried several ways to reform school funding, but State Supreme Court keeps striking them down. Most agree all the current options suck, but nobody has put up a better idea that people will rally around. So the whole process is stuck in limbo.

    About all we can do now is fill state offices with people who will reject central-planning solutions and respect our freedom. Then we can start to let voters decide for themselves how to fund their local schools.

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  5. Coast--Thank you for your explanation. Are you sure about the district being in league with the socialists? The treasurer is very conservative and a Coast supporter I am told. Also, how long do you think this limbo would last? I am a conservative with a lot of concern for the quality of the kids' education as well as fiscal responsibility. Surely a timely solution is required. Is there such a solution? The lawsuit seems to be in the right direction to me. I remain unclear how Ohio can continue to fund schools in the same way after this has been found unconstitutional so many times. Could something like this go to the Supreme Court? We are the only country in the world that educates all students. If that is what we espouse then our basic rights are being impinged upon with the state stealing money from the coffers of districts that have comparatively behaved soundly.

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  6. I live in The Little Miami School district. I even went to school there. It isn't very pleasent to have these tax levy's shoved down your throat. Every time they put it up for a vote we, the tax payers, are going to vote it down.
    This school district doesn't know how to manage money. Pure and simple. They just want more for the mistakes they have made.
    Tim Wolf 1981 graduate of Little Miami High School.

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