Willoughby-Eastlake Schools seeks to convert emergency levy to substitute levy

The Willoughby-Eastlake School District is asking voters to convert a current emergency levy to a substitute levy on Nov. 7.

Issue 7 allows the five-year, $7,585,000 (estimated 4.71 mills) emergency levy that originally was passed in 2003, and renewed in 2008 and 2013, to be replaced with a substitute continuing levy that would not require being renewed every five years.

Property owners who currently pay $164.85 per $100,000 of property valuation will continue to pay that amount as the conversion will not increase the amount of tax paid.

“The passage of this levy will not increase taxes, will save excessive cost of being on the ballot for renewals and will allow the district to maximize funds spent on students,” said Willoughby-Eastlake Schools Superintendent Steve Thompson.

According to the superintendent, placing the emergency levy on the ballot every five years for renewal can cost between $30,000 and $90,000 per election.

“That money could have been spent on the salaries of classroom teachers and on instructional materials,” he said. “Keeping funds in the classroom impacts student achievement.”

According to election brochures distributed by the district, funds from the substitute levy can only be used for classroom instruction and facility maintenance.

The brochures also state that:

• Operating on a cycle of levy renewals can disrupt consistent tax collections.

• Converting the emergency levy to a substitute levy will allow the district to ensure precise planning and responsible spending without a tax increase.

If the levy fails and is not converted, the school district loses almost $7.6 million, about 8 percent of the district’s current expenditures.

A vote of yes on the ballot approves the conversion of the emergency levy to a substitute levy, while a vote of no disallows the conversion and ends the levy.

There are currently 45,338 registered voters in the Willoughby-Eastlake School District eligible to decide the issue, according to the Lake County Elections Board.