Issue 10: Columbus, Growing District Means Tighter Financial Squeeze for District

Editor’s note: This letter is part of a group of 5 letters from Avon Lake Board of Education members. The letters are in support of Issue 10, a 10-year emergency levy will generate $6.5 million per year at a cost of $253.58 per $100,000 home valuation.

The purpose of the Avon Lake School Levy Issue 10 is to 1) replace funding diverted to other districts and charter school thanks to lawmakers in Columbus, and 2) restore the loss of tax revenue resulting from the reduction in electricity generated and inevitable closure of the GenOn power plant.

The “simple solutions” recently proposed by knowledgeable citizens to solve our District’s financial problems are perplexing. For over 20 years our elected officials in Columbus have failed to develop a sound way to fund education in Ohio. Fixing the District’s revenue problem is about as easy as predicting the weather in northeast Ohio.

Avon Lake is viewed as a “rich district.” Our “fair share” from Columbus is now less than 10% of the state average (the average district receives $5,400/student; our District receives less than $500/student). The state continues to divert funding from Avon Lake to provide it to poorer districts and charter schools. The power plant in Avon Lake has provided a strong tax base over the years. However, the plant is closing, thus decreasing the tax base. This has forced us to fund our schools with local tax dollars. Our District’s funding has washed away and Columbus is not coming to the rescue.   

It’s very easy to look at a consolidated financial statement, make simple assumptions, and project the future. The one prediction I will make is next year our District will have more students. Statistics project that next year—like every year for the past ten years—our District will educate an additional 60 students. These new students may attend ALHS, Erieview or Troy and may require special education or English as a second language. Issue 10 ensures that all students in our District will receive an outstanding education.      

Support Avon Lake City Schools—Support Issue 10.

Charles Froehlich

President – Avon Lake Board of Education