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Reasons to Vote No

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As a public school teacher in Ohio, I generally do support school levies. However, there are legitimate reasons to vote no on school levies and bond issues. In just about every levy campaign there are are people who have legitimate reasons to vote no, and I dare say those people should vote no. Yes, even at Logan Elm, where I believe the needs are extreme there are people for whom a no vote is necessary. In the aftermath of this latest round of voting, I believe this is worth exploring if for no other reason than to check my own enthusiasm and to reiterate that there are greatest things at work than simply my own desires, no matter how noble they seem.

1.Unethical Leadership. There was one levy on the ballot I certainly would not have voted for without much thought. That was Columbus City Schools. In the face of mounting data, the Columbus School Board has been unrepentant in regard to its attendance scandal. Furthermore, some board members were defeated for re-election because of improper dealings with vendors. The Columbus Dispatch got it exactly right in its Sunday editorial in saying that the board did not deserve the trust of the voters. While there are some signs of hope that Columbus will turn things around, there simply has not been enough change in the board membership nor has there been enough time to evaluate whether or not the presence of Mayor Michael Coleman will help or hurt the situation. Some may see such a vote as punishment for misdeeds of the past, but I believe it is prudent. To simply vote more for more money to go under the control of an organization that has been proven to be unethical is wasteful at best.

2.Mismanaged Resources. This may not seem to you to be a difficult one either, but I believe it deserves some thought before checking the no column. Mismanagement does not necessarily mean malfeasance. It could be a flawed process or a simple mistake. It may also depend on what the error is, and also what the school district does to correct it. A few years ago the treasurer of a neighboring school district embezzled some money from the general form. The district took action. The treasurer was arrested. The money was restored in due time. Do you vote no on the next levy? Now some are truly easy calls. In the same editorial The Dispatch noted that Columbus City Schools had an accounting error that caused them to report a $14 million deficit when they really had a $5 million surplus. That coupled with their other issues was just more fuel for the fire. But even a one year surplus may not be enough information. Every school district in Ohio must provide the Ohio Department of Education with a 5 year forecast. Those forecasts can vary widely. They are also required to assume that any levies up for renewal will fail in order to show the effects of lost revenue. There are certainly cases where mismanagement calls for a no vote, but there are some where it may not.

3.You can’t afford the increased taxes.. This is one where some more compassion is in order from those who support levies. We often want voters to “think about the children,” when there are many who have no choice but to think about themselves and where their next meal is coming from.  Fixed incomes leave little room for added tax burdens, and there are very few opportunities for voters to have a say on whether or not to add to that burden.  As passionate as these debates can get, we must never expect any voter to go beyond their means.  Likewise we cannot judge others on their motivations.  God will take care of that in due time, but until then we must remember that conscience is more important than “yes” votes.  Is that naive?  Maybe, but our country was indeed founded upon just that idea.  It would do well for us to keep that alive as long as we can, because the alternative is not good to consider.

Ultimately, we have system where our children have become pawns to try to tug at the heartstrings of voters, but that’s wrong.  This is not a charity situation.  Once the majority of voters decided to go forward with additional taxes in a school district there is no going back and all people, whether they voted yes, no, or they didn’t vote at all have to go along with it.  It is noble to let the people decide, but we have made it an unjust system by our use of the youngest and by trading our designated mission for a desire for power.  As I said at the beginning, I want most school levies to succeed.  I stand to benefit from those that succeed in my district, but I do not want to do that at the expense of violated consciences.  I know Logan Elm is going to try again, probably in May.  I believe there is no choice and the need for better facilities is too great, but I want it done right, even if it takes longer and even if we have to run the risk of never getting it done.


Filed under: Columbus City Schools attendance scandal, Logan Elm School District, politics, school funding, Uncategorized Tagged: Columbus City Schools attendance scandal, Columbus Dispatch, Logan Elm School District, school levy

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