With inflation and increasing gasoline, food, and prescription pill prices going up, school districts know they face challenges in gaining support for levies.

So that is one reason Lakeview Local School District held a town hall meeting.

They wanted to be clear about how they have spent home and property owners' tax dollars, and have information on their website to dispel myths or misinformation.

About one hundred people attended a town hall meeting in the auditorium of Lakeview High school to find out about a ten-year 6.8 Mil Emergency Levy to pay for day-to-day operations of schools.

Superintendent Velina Taylor explained that the district has not asked for new dollars to operate schools in 12 years. She also told folks that the state reduced funding to Lakeview School District last year.

Lakeview Schools have cut 1.5 million dollars from their budget over the last five years, but have been told by the treasurer they must cut $450,000 more from next year's budget to stay out of the red.

People on the levy committee explained the district needs this operating levy.


Without the levy, it will mean cuts for the next school year.

"We will look at busing, programming, teachers, support staff in our district, and additional fees for students who take part in extracurricular and sports programs. We don't want to but we will have no choice," Principal Scott Taylor said.

The owner of a home assessed at $200,000 will pay under $40 more a month.

The levy would generate about $2 million a year for the school district to operate schools.

Levy Committee members emphasized the assessed value on your home is 30% less than the market price at which you can sell your home.

They tell 21 News retirees on fixed incomes and homeowners benefit from strong schools.

"The Homestead Act allows you to forgo paying the first $25,000 of the assessed value of your home. Lastly, retirees looking to sell homes are probably going to be replaced by young families and everyone knows school districts sell homes," said Levy Committee Chair Taylor Pease.


You can find out more information about where Lakeview Local School District taxes fall in relation to other communities, information about how much teachers are paid compared with other districts, and general information about the levy prior to the May 3 election at the school district website.