Renewal Levy Vote Now Scheduled For November

The Twinsburg Board of Education will now hold its 6.9-mill renewal levy in November after two board members were able to defeat plans to hold it in August.

Earlier this month, the board had approved by a 3-2 vote plans to hold the renewal levy in August. But that decision was before the board again Wednesday night on second reading.

Under rules of second reading, the ordinance must receive four votes to be approved. So when board members David Andrews and Paul Crosby voted no again on Wednesday, plans for an August levy were scuttled.

The board then considered a resolution to hold the levy in November, and that passed by 5-0 vote.

The entire board agrees that the renewal levy must be passed to preserve the quality of the school district, but they differed on whether August or November would be a better time to put the question to voters.

August supporters -- Ron Stuver, Kate Cain-Criswell and Stephen Shebeck -- believed it could give the board another shot if it was defeated, and also would have the benefit of getting the matter settled earlier, before the school year got into full swing.

But November supporters believed that holding the levy in August could give the impression they were trying to sneak it by the voters or also catch levy supporters at a time when interest in school issues is low, before the school year begins.

"I believe November is a better opportunity for the school district," Andrews said. "I respectfully disagree with my colleagues to move forward in August. I think the only disagreement we’ve had here on the board is the timing."

The 6.9-mill levy was last approved in 2007 and brings in about $4.4 million annually for the district. School officials say the district would have to make cuts and operational changes without that money.

If approved, the levy would be good for five years and would then need to be re-authorized by voters. The board members had originally intended to have the levy becoming continuing, thus not needed a future renewal vote, but they changed their mind after hearing feedback from the community.

The move comes after the board decided in March to withdraw the 6.9-mill renewal levy from the ballot in May because of confusion over the governor's education budget proposal, which at the time showed Twinsburg receiving a large increase in state funding.