District tax vote deemed crucial for Miami East schools

“The bottom line message is that we are in a dire situation,” he said.

The state recently designated the district as being in fiscal caution. If the district cannot address the fiscal concerns, it then could go to the next level of fiscal emergency.

“A district under fiscal emergency loses all local control with regard to programs, expenditures, hiring,” Rappold said.

To address losses in state funding, the school board reviewed several options before deciding to ask district residents to OK a continuing 1.75 percent earned income tax. The tax would replace the current 1 percent traditional income tax. The difference is the earned income tax would not tax pensions.

The earned income tax would generate an added $882,000 a year, said Lisa Fahncke, who recently joined the district as its treasurer. The position was moved to part-time following the retirement of Mike Sommer.

In the past two years, the district has made nearly $1 million in reductions.

For the current school year, it cut six teachers and high school busing. Fahncke said the district most recently lost more than $900,000 from state cuts of federal stabilization and Ed Jobs dollars along with $189,000 from cuts in tangible personal property taxes.

High school busing is the only item the board has told the community would be reinstated if the earned income tax is approved.

“For our community members who may mistakenly believe if we pass this everything is coming back, we can’t do that and we won’t do that,” Rappold said. “The way the state is currently funding right now, we just don’t want to be back into a situation that we are in again.”

If the tax fails, another $1 million in reductions would be needed with cuts in arts, music, physical education and electives and electives at all grade levels. “For a district that’s already made a million dollars in reductions, it would basically mean we would be at state minimums,” Rappold said.

Anyone with questions about the tax proposal can call Rappold at (937) 335-7070.

Contact this reporter at nancykburr@aol.com or (937) 339-4371.