MARION, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—In a letter sent to the residents affected by the upcoming levy votes, the River Valley School District outlined their need to pass this levy.
After evaluating the District’s financial situation following the May election, the River Valley Board of Education has made adjustments to address the need to avoid deficit spending and maintain a positive fund balance in order to provide a quality education for their students and maintain their facilities.
As a result of these adjustments, the Board has reduced the size and length of the Bond issue and the Permanent Improvement and Income Tax issues. The Bond and Permanent Improvement levy will be a tax rate decrease compared to what voters are currently paying on the existing levies. These levies, along with the Income Tax levy, are part of the district’s plan to address immediate and long-term needs, as well as provide consistent funding for daily operations.
In the past weeks, every property owner in the district received a letter detailing the costs specific to their property, comparing the current expiring levies with the proposed Bond and Permanent Improvement levy. Additionally, an online tool was made available for all property owners to access.
Due to current financial projections, the Board of Education has had to make some difficult decisions for the current school year, including eliminating certain positions and reducing budgets.
If both levies do not pass, further reductions will be necessary for the 2024-25 school year, including the elimination of transportation for athletics and extracurriculars, reductions in supplementals and supplies, and the elimination of several teaching positions.
Crawford County Now will continue to cover this developing story.