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The capital funding issue has passed by an uncomfortably close margin: 1,110 votes - just 3%. As I have said to you before, if we want to get out of this mode of just barely passing levies, we need to implement an effective, ongoing community education program. The objective is to development understanding, and therefore trust. During this campaign for the levy to build the two schools, you chose to not talk about the additional tax levy which will be necessary to operate the new schools. To run those schools, you will need to raise at least $7.5 million/yr in new taxes, which will cost each homeowner in our district at least $250 per year in additional property taxes, and if more taxpaying businesses don't move to Hilliard in the next three years, it may be closer to $500 per year per household. I suspect that this will surprise many who voted for the levy which just passed, and surprises are not good when you're trying to build trust. So you need to start immediately with the education process. Fortunately, that's what the professionals who work for this district do for a living. Pick the best curriculum developer you have on staff and give them the assignment of creating a plan for teaching our community how school funding works - in all the gory details. Spend the next two years educating the community, and then hopefully when the next operating levy hits the ballots, we'll have 80% of the voters supporting the levy, not 53%. Start educating the community right now -- Our grownups can't wait.. |
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