Potential implications for the district include several different scenarios, Lawrence said, including the district carrying over debt into the next year or potential layoffs.
The district considered two different levies. One, a five-mill levy, would cost $175 per $100,000 in property value. The other, a seven-mill levy, would cost $245 per $100,000 in property value.
The board chose neither for the May ballot and will likely consider other scenarios in November.
Issues cited as the basis for the need included volatility at the state level in school financing, rising costs and more funds needed to complete academic transformation.
One board member, Eric Walker, suggested the board should look at an income tax levy for revenue given public sentiment about property taxes and the changes that the state is considering making to property taxes.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Joe Lacey, one of the board members, said the board had a better bet at passing the levy in November than in May, since turnout is generally higher in November.
“I really believe that the November election is the more prudent way to go because we have a better chance of success in the general election,” he said.
Board members also objected to a May ballot initiative because the district does not have a levy committee in place. Lacey said he is the current treasurer of the Dayton Public schools levy committee, but the members on it aren’t active and were recruited a long time ago.
Board member Chrisondra Goodwine asked other members if they would be willing to start recruiting people to the levy committee and working behind the scenes to start getting traction for eventually having the levy on the ballot. Members Lacey, Walker and Will Smith all said they would be the point people, while members Jamica Garrison and Jocelyn Rhynard also said they would help.
Smith said the board also needed to have more discussions and information in place to give out to people before the election.
“The big part of a levy is allowing people to learn what’s going on, where are the issues, what’s at stake,” Smith said.
The money would first be collected in calendar year 2027 if passed in this calendar year.
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