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Supports regional consolidation of schools

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The governor and General Assembly labored mightily and brought forth a mouse in their school funding reform efforts. Our elected officials in Columbus refused to consider relief to local property owners, who continue to bear the school funding tax burden. A more equitable funding formula might have included a combination of income tax, sales tax and property tax.

Given the shortage of funding in the Tallmadge School District, the School Board again comes before the voters for a new ballot issue for an operating levy. The tax-weary voters have thrice rejected an operating levy after having approved a substantial levy for a new high school. In view of the less than enthusiastic voter support for a new high school, the TSD should have envisioned voter disapproval for more new taxes.

Five years ago the local economy was robust and growing. Today, Tallmadge residents face job losses, home foreclosures, declining property values and substantial losses in public and private retirement funds.

In fairness, the TSD has imposed austerity measures to reduce cost, including teacher and staff layoffs, pay-to-play school activities, contract busing and others.

However, perhaps the TSD and other local districts should have a broader vision for reducing the diversion of scarce resources for administrative overhead. Several local governments have begun leading the way in achieving substantial overhead cost reductions by consolidation. The cities of Stow and Munroe Falls have long had a successful consolidated school district, Springfield and Lakemore have begun consolidation of police departments and even Tallmadge has realized substantial savings by consolidating police and fire dispatch with Stow.

Certainly major consolidations do not take place overnight. However, perhaps the time has come for cash-strapped school districts such as Tallmadge, Mogadore and Springfield to begin investigating what economies might be realized by consolidation.

Richard Schunk

Tallmadge