Crescent-News.com - Defiance school board backs proposed amendment

By JACK PALMER

A resolution to support a proposed constitutional amendment establishing a new process to fund Ohio's public schools was approved by a 3-1 vote Monday by the Defiance City Board of Education.

Discussion on the "Getting It Right for Ohio's Future" campaign followed a presentation to the board by Jennifer Economus, legislative liaison for Ohio School Boards Association.

"This amendment has key provisions for local property tax owners," said Economus, who noted that the first $40,000 of market value would be exempted from school taxes for senior citizens and disabled owners.

Under the amendment, the local share of the amount needed to fund schools would be a uniform 20 mills for all school districts. All districts will receive growth on the 20 mills taxed on property valuation and would have the option to fund higher than 20 mills locally.

"There will be fewer and smaller property taxes levies," asserted Economus, who said the issue has the support of every major statewide education and parent group.

"We believe the time is right for fixing Ohio's broken system of school funding."

Board member Steve Snavely expressed concern that the proposed amendment allows the state board of education and a non-political advisory committee to define the cost of a high-quality education.

"This should be the responsibility of the legislature," said Snavely. "I look at this as being the creation of another agency whose members are not accountable to anyone. This is a case where the cure is worse than the illness."

Taking a different view were board members S.G. Brugler and Peggy Rolf.

"This amendment was born because the legislature didn't do anything," countered Brugler. "I would rather have something out there that can be voted on by the people. I've been in education for 39 years and nobody has come forward with anything of this magnitude and this type of coalition behind it."

Rolf said taxpayers are tired of school levies.

"The state seems to be saying to us that if you want more funding, you go to the taxpayers," she stated. "To me, the burden to fund education should be on the legislature."

Added Rolf: "I'm not as nervous about another agency getting involved. These people will have education as their first priority."

Chris Oberlin joined Brugler and Rolf in support of the proposed amendment. Mark Klein was absent from the meeting.

Proponents need to submit 402,276 signatures statewide to the secretary of state in order to assure a place on the Nov. 6 ballot.

"Right now we have collected over 110,000 signatures on an all-volunteer basis," said Economus. "Petitions will be available at 37 county fairs before August. The next couple months is crunch time."

Turning to another issue, superintendent Mike Struble updated board members on recent construction progress for the new K-5 elementary school off Carter Road.

"The contractors are working on the footers right now and we hope by Friday walls will start going up," he said.

"We are making great progress and are very pleased with the site work. Everyone has been very cooperative."

"I am very impressed with the people we have at the job site," added Rolf, who is a member of the project's core committee which meets monthly to monitor progress.

"They are really working hard for our district."

Last month the board approved the future sale of Slocum Elementary to the city of Defiance for $135,000, and a public auction of the Anthony Wayne Elementary property is scheduled for July 9 at 1 p.m. The board has reserved the right to reject any bids under $900,000.

"We feel the Anthony Wayne property is worth at least that much," Struble explained after the meeting."The acreage to the south of the school has great potential for future development, including for building lots."

The new elementary school has a projected opening date of December 2008 or January 2009.

In personnel matters, the board approved one-year teaching contracts for Rafael Manriquez Jr., fifth grade; Nicole Bryant, Spencer Elementary fourth grade; Erinn Springer, junior high special education; and Kate Smolik, high school English.

Amy McLain was hired as the new Brickell Elementary secretary, while a transfer was approved for Peg Ferland to first-shift high school custodian.

In other business, the board:

-- approved a supplemental contract for Veronica Troyer, assistant girls soccer coach.

-- approved a one-year agreement with First Insurance and Investments to provide insurance coverage for buildings and grounds, liability, fleet, umbrella, boiler and terrorism risk for a total premium of $91,684. This is a $7,500 decrease over last year.

-- approved membership with the Ohio Coalition of Equity and Adequacy for the 2007-08 school year.

-- accepted the donation of a computer valued at $475 from Mike and Jayne Roessner.