OTTOVILLE — Voters in the Ottoville Local Schools District will vote on a 3-mill Emergency Renewal Levy on Tuesday.
The levy, if passed, will raise $150,522 a year for five years. It is a renewal and will not cost taxpayers additional money. It was first passed in 1988 and is the last time that the district requested new operating money from voters.
The income from the levy will cover day-to-day expenses such as utility bills, salaries, supplies, etc.
“This levy is vital to the district,” Treasurer Bob Weber said. “As state funds continue to dwindle, more of the burden is being shifted to the taxpayer whether we like it or not.”
In Fiscal Year 1999, the district received more than 71 percent of its revenue from the state. In FY 2007, only 56 percent came from state funding.
The district has been trimming expenses where possible and has reduced the staff, cut a bus route and continues to look at supplies and materials to make sure they are being purchased in the most cost-effective way, Weber added.
The district’s newsletter was redesigned and sent out once a quarter instead of once a month saving the district approximately $2,500 a year; the elimination of the district providing lunch for teachers during in-service training saved $2,500-$3,000.