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Letter: District cuts make for no increase on renewal levy
Posted on Feb. 3, 2010
Our district operates on a lean budget. To-date, we have reduced our annual expenses by more than $300,000 since 2006. We are proud of how lean our district operates and are committed to continuing with doing so.
In fact, this May, our London City Schools are on the May 4 ballot for a renewal of our 1 percent income tax. Approval of this renewal levy represents a zero increase for residents over the five-year collection.
These levy dollars represent important funding—12.5 percent of our district’s total revenue—and go toward educational programming and staffing.
Our May 4 levy renewal is a very lean request. In fact, even with the cuts we have made to-date, the renewal will not cover the increasing expenses that are outside of our control, such as fuel and utilities.
Just like you, we are feeling the challenge of these economic times and continue to look at ways of reducing our overall budget so that we can operate with just the levy renewal. The district and board are committed to doing so and have shown excellent stewardship of the public dollars.
So, what will the district do to continue to keep costs low so that we can operate with zero increase in taxes? Just as you do at home or in your business, we look for additional sources of revenue and ways to cut expenses. Some of those are:
• applying for grants when available, such as the recent Race to the Top grant. If obtained, the district will receive between $150,000 and $200,000;
• trimming additional employee positions;
• freezing administrative salaries this year; and
• incorporating geothermal and solar technologies into the new middle school to make the cost of electricity nearly zero. (Please note that we are building this school solely with state funds.)
Factored together, these efforts, combined with those made to cut costs since 2006, are what will allow our district to continue operations with a zero tax increase renewal. In the coming months, you will continue to hear more about his important issue. Please take the time to inform yourself about what it means to our students and schools.
In the meantime, thank you for the support that our community has shown our students and schools. We appreciate the value placed on education and will continue to offer strong fiscal stewardship so that we can continue to offer our community an outstanding value.
Steve Allen, superintendent
London City Schools
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