2. 1 LUCAS Schools Need Your Support

3. 2 LUCAS SCHOOL LEVIES Decisions 2004

4. 3 Clarification #1 The levies we are seeking are for basic operational expenses. They have nothing to do with property acquisition, buildings, or a building program. Emergency Levies are for Operational Expenses.

5. 4 What is an Emergency Levy? This is a type of property tax levy in Ohio that establishes a fixed amount of money to be collected over a fixed period of time, not to exceed five years.

6. 5 Clarification #2 The State of Ohio is not going to resolve the issue of state funding for public education in the foreseeable future; many new legislators and a new governor have to be elected for effective changes to occur. And to obtain additional State money, State taxes would have to be raised!

7. 6 School Taxes-An Educational Investment Very few people want to vote to raise their taxes, but Ohio school funding is based upon a combination of state and local funds derived by taxation. Local taxes must come from either property or income taxes for the school district. Without the local tax share, school districts can not exist. Our local school taxes are an “educational investment”.

8. 7 Investment in What? Investment in the growth and development of our children Investment in our future decision-makers and leaders Investment in protecting property values in our community EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE

9. 8 Reduce Spending After our March levy attempt, the voters told us to reduce spending and the amount of the new levy We have done this but still did not obtain voter approval in August How much more do the voters want eliminated from the education for our children?

10. 9 We Have A No Frills District Lucas Schools have operated with minimal expenditures for the past ten years and we will obviously continue to do so for the foreseeable future even with the passage of a renewal and new levy.

11. 10 What Cuts/Reductions did we make for 2004-2005? In 2003-04 we reduced operational spending by $175,000 This year we will continue reducing operational spending Eliminated 4 ½ teaching positions for 2004-05 –AD; HS English,Art and French I; HS Librarian; Music teacher; Gifted program Eliminated 2 Classified staff positions –MS Secretary, Bus driver

12. 11 2004-05 Cuts/Reductions (con’t) Reduced custodian hours during the summer (6 hour days for 8 weeks) Reduced building budgets by 57% from FY 03 through FY 05 Administrative salary freeze in FY 05 Aides now hired via MOESC Non renewal of memberships in two school funding organizations

13. 12 Additional Cuts/Reductions for 2005-06 Without a New Levy Operating expenditures will be held to minimums and not address educational needs Purchased Services will be reduced or eliminated Certified and Classified staff reductions will be made and Elective Classes will be lost –Vo-Ag, Family/Consumer Science, Industrial Tech Extracurricular activities will have a fee or be eliminated –This includes athletics and student organizations

14. 13 Cuts, Renewal, New Levy In order for our school district to remain financially solvent for the next two years, we are reducing spending and making cuts, but we must pass both a renewal and new school levy in 2004 We are asking for Emergency Levies that set a fixed amount of local dollars as opposed to millage.

15. 14 What is a Mil or Mill? A mill is one-tenth of a cent. Millage values vary from district to district. It is based upon the district’s property valuation. (1 mill in Lucas = $61,000) Note: Millage for an Emergency Levy reduces as property values increase

16. 15 New Emergency Levy November A $500,000 additional local INVESTMENT for two (2) years to avoid an operating deficit in 2006 - 2007 (8.2 mills to be collected in 2005 and 2006)

17. 16 New Levy Increased Taxpayer Investment for Two Years $100,000 home = approximately $252 per year after 12.5% rollback –Or about $ 126 per half year –Or about $ 21.00 per month

18. 17 Why 2 Years? This will provide us with operating funds while we consider our future financial needs based upon the new State school funding budget for 2006-2008 and determine the feasibility of an income tax to replace our property tax in 2007

19. 18 RENEWAL Emergency Levy November RENEWAL of our existing $275,000 Emergency Levy for a period of five (5) years. (Approximately 4.5 mills to be collected from 2006-2010) NO INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES

20. 19 New and Renewal Levies and Cuts are Needed to Offset Our Projected Deficit FY 07 = $202,604 FY 08 = $1,171,443

21. 20 Reasons for Our Projected Deficit Increased operating expenses due to facility and instructional needs Inadequate state funding and changes in the tax structure State and Federal requirements and unfunded mandates No new local money since 1995

22. 21 Increased Operational Expenses Instructional materials, supplies, textbooks, technology Facilities including furniture, roof and structural repairs, heating upgrades and repairs, electrical and plumbing repairs, etc. Liability, property, fleet and medical insurances Utilities and fuel Salaries and benefits

23. 22 Decreased State Funding and Changes in Tax Laws Reductions in the State Foundation program (per pupil funding level) have resulted in a reduction of $235,200 for Lucas Schools from FY02 through FY 05 Loss of revenue from the phase down of Personal Tangible Property Taxes (business inventory tax) has resulted in the loss of over $250,000 in local money from FY 01 through FY 05

24. 23 How Money is Used Instructional services –Salaries and benefits Purchased services –Contracts with support agencies Supplies –Office, custodial, classroom Capital outlay –Buildings/Facilities

25. 24 Specifically Where is Money Spent? Five basic categories –Instructional = 80% –Purchased Services = 9% –Supplies = 6% –Capital Outlay = 3% –Other = 2%

26. 25 How will an Additional Local Investment be Used? Maintain a financially solvent school district Pay our bills – NO EXTRAS

27. 26 The ISSUE is… What do Lucas voters want for the future of Lucas and Lucas Schools? What vision do Lucas voters have for the future of Lucas and Lucas Schools? Do Lucas voters want us to “cut” more from the education of our children? This is the Issue that Lucas voters will answer at the voting polls in November.

28. 27 Who is this about? This is about providing a 21 st Century Education for Lucas Children This is about preparing Lucas Children to compete in our global society and economy This is about the Future of Lucas Children, Lucas, and Lucas Schools

29. 28 School Taxes Will Be Paid to Some School District Every person in Ohio pays school taxes Myth – if we have no school, there will be no school tax

30. 29 What Would be Our School Tax If We Combined with Another District? Consider that the Districts around us are also in financial need and have levies for additional money on the ballot This is a very complex question to answer and would require a study of the other school district’s new boundaries to determine the school taxes The Bottom Line is that school taxes will increase and it is a matter of who you want to pay them to

31. 30 What if we lose our school? We will have to pay the school tax where ever our students attend school Our property values will decrease without a school in Lucas We lose our Identity and Community; imagine Lucas without a school! Our students will lose many opportunities that they now enjoy in a small school system

32. 31 Comparison to a Private School Many of our residents compare our school to a private school with all the benefits but at a lower cost. Yet the fact is that Education is expensive especially in a community that has chosen not to attract any large business or industry.

33. 32 Who Pays for Education? Fortunately taxpayers in the past paid for your education and now it is your turn to pay for the education of today’s youth. Yes, Education is Expensive – but what are the Consequences of an Uneducated or Undereducated society?

34. 33 How do Our Schools Rate? Academic Achievement of our Students is among the BEST in North Central Ohio. Our school system makes our community attractive to people who care about education and keeps our property values high.

35. 34 Effective School District and Academic Successes For the past four years we have been designated as an Effective School District by the Ohio Local Report Card (LRC) that measures student achievement and school performance.

36. 35 2003-2004 Local Report Card District = 13 of 18 criteria Effective High School = 6 of 6 criteria Excellent Middle School = 5 of 6 criteria Effective Elementary School = 3 of 7 criteria Effective

37. 36 Attributes of Lucas Schools Small school advantages Many successful graduates Strong community support?? Dedicated employees State and nationally recognized FFA program High student academic achievement Student participation in sports and activities

38. 37 Questions? Please direct your questions to the Superintendent, Gus Huber, at 419-892-2338 Ext. 212 or the Treasurer, Barb Donohue, at 419-892-2338 Ext. 213

39. 38 Citizens for Lucas Schools Committee Don Spring, Chairperson Richard Arehart, Treasurer 1755 St. Rt. 39, Lucas, Ohio, 44843