In one week, voters will decide for the sixth time in recent years whether there will be school construction in the Warren Local school district.
Unlike in previous attempts, school officials this time are asking for a 3.45-mill, 20-year bond issue to build a new high school only, along with a 5-mill, 10-year permanent improvement levy to help raise funds for repairs on the district's other facilities.
Previously, attempts were made to raise a local share to build all new schools or to build new elementary buildings and a middle school.
Voters have said "no" every time but we urge them to say "yes" to this proposal.
The buildings in the district are aging and need updates. Some of these are completely unavoidable for health and safety reasons. Others greatly impact the technology students are exposed to, an extremely important component of a thorough, competitive education today.
There is no getting around that money will have to be spent on these buildings. If a bond issue and levy can't be passed, the money will have to come from an already tight district budget, and mean more cuts to teachers and services.
Warren Local Schools has already cut back again and again as state funding dwindled or was at a standstill year to year. There has to be revenue from another source to deal with the facilities issue and in Ohio, unfortunately, the only option is to go to the taxpayers.
This levy would cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $259 a year for the first 10 years and $105.66 for the next 10.
We know that's a real sacrifice for a lot of families struggling with their own budgets and financial crises.
But in all these years of Warren trying to pass a bond issue, no one has presented a better idea-and that's because there isn't one.
Taking care of the buildings now before they drain any more money is key. Investment in a community's schools is worth some sacrifice.
Vote in favor of the Warren Local Schools bond issue and tax levy.
