Without hesitation I can tell you that each school board member is keenly aware of the current economy; we live in it, we pay taxes, and we fully realize our duty of providing a quality education for our students while being fiscally responsible with taxpayer monies. We do not live in a bubble of cherry picked data and statistics – we were elected to make the hard decisions that will affect the future opportunities for our children and community. We can and should only do this with the support of our citizens, and that’s why we’ve endeavored to involve and inform all of Oak Harbor at every opportunity and to give the voters choices.
Levy opponents are certainly able to publish their interpretation of the Oak Harbor School District’s financial numbers, yet they often lack the ability to appropriately weigh both sides of the equation. On occasion they bring another point of view, which I always appreciate. However, these views are often not representative of the complete picture.
Part of our challenge, as a school board, is working with many categories of expenditures, which must remain separate and distinct, while balancing extremely erratic levels of federal and state funding, both of which have significant legal restrictions in how they can be used.
For example, the Capital Project Fund is its own separate account and once the money is deposited there it must be used for construction with extremely few exceptions allowed by law. Levy money is one of the very few sources of funding over which we have a great deal of local control. Levy money does not go into the Capital Projects Fund. Instead it provides teachers, support staff, computer tech, custodial support, and supplies.
When the Maintenance and Operations Levy was first passed in 2001, the school district received $800,000 in matching funds from the state. Today that amount has fallen to $400,000 and it is almost certain to be reduced significantly further, if not eliminated. As many of you are aware the cost of supplies and health care has skyrocketed these last several years. We have had to cut and adjust for these increased costs; as with the average shopper, our school’s dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to.
We have been able to keep taxes low and our schools strong through prudent planning. For example, when enrollment dropped and the school board closed Clover Valley Elementary, it was not a popular or easy choice, but it was the right thing to do, and it saved money during difficult times. The school district planned for the construction bond to drop 10 cents when these levies would go into effect next year to lessen the taxpayer burden. If both our proposals pass, our combined school levy and construction bond rate will still be 81 cents below the state average.
We will receive stimulus money from the federal government, but those funds will not be available as a replacement for any of the current programs that the, voter approved, M & O levy funds. Losing local taxpayer support of our M & O Levy will be nothing less than catastrophic to student programs! Voting, YES, twice will increase your local levy amount by approximately $6 per month for proposition one and $5.75 for proposition two, if you own a $300,000 home. These figures do not include the adjustment for the decrease in the construction bond rate discussed above.
I want to thank voters for their past support and confidence. I know I speak for all board members when I say that I am appreciative and grateful for each and every penny you provide in support of our schools. It is making a tremendous difference for our community’s children and their future – you should be proud.
Corey Johnson, president
Oak Harbor School Board
