Former Mayor: School Board Should Reconsider May Levy

I am quite concerned about the size and length of the May levy for the Avon Lake City Schools.

I understand the difficulties projecting revenues and expenses. I served on the Avon Lake School board from 1998 to 2001.

I have two concerns. First, 8.28 mills is a substantial increase for every household in Avon Lake. Based on the Lorain County Auditor’s website, the effective residential tax rate in Avon Lake is 65.052598 mills. This increase represents a nearly 13% increase in our residential property tax rate. Second, the rationale behind a ten year levy still escapes me. I understand the board believes that by passing a 10 year levy they will collect funds for a much longer period of time at a set rate. History and spending patterns indicate they most certainly will be back for new money before this levy expires.

Based upon the Avon Lake City Schools Newsletter recently mailed to households, the districts revenues are $1.5 million less than the recent forecast provided at the April BOE meeting. The same newsletter shows expenditures forecasted at $500,000 more than the April forecast. It is very difficult to understand the true financial situation of the district when the forecast keeps changing. This is precisely why a 10-year levy is not reasonable.

I have a reasonable solution. First, fix the revenues in the current BOE forecast at the 2013 level thru 2017. Historical data and the fact that most losses have already been realized prove this is achievable. Second, use the 2013 expenditures as a baseline going forward. I suggest freezing expenditures at 2013 levels for 2014 and 2015. Then allow for a two percent (2%) increase in 2016 and a two percent (2%) increase in 2017. Since we have been told the unions have taken a pay freeze this should be achievable.

Using these calculations, the schools will have additional revenues of over $7 million over their current five year forecast and savings expenditures of $9.4 million for the same five year period. Third, pass a smaller levy in November for 5 years. Roughly half the size of the current levy. Based on my calculations, this will give the district a surplus of approximately $2.5 million at the end of 2017. I think I made these calculations easy enough to verify so it would be simple to plug in these numbers and see exactly how the budget would look.

As you can see, I am not opposed to a tax levy. I was simply hoping the school administration and board would have applied better business practices and come to this same conclusion. Our schools are one of our most important assets as a community but that is no reason to allow them to do business as usual. It is time we start spending less and live within our means. A 13 percent increase to all of our property taxes is simply too much. 

Rob Berner

Editor's note: Berner is a former mayor of Avon Lake and former president of the Avon Lake Board of Education.