With less than a week to go before school district voters decide the fate of Oxford’s 10-year, 18-mill tax renewal on non-homestead properties, Superintendent Virginia Brennan-Kyro is ‘cautiously optimistic? about its approval at the ballot box.
‘We’ve received positive feedback everywhere,? she said. ‘I have not heard of any opposition really.?
‘I feel very confident that voters understand what the issue is,? the superintendent noted.
But that doesn’t mean Brennan-Kyro is ready to quit campaigning, put her feet up and take it easy.
‘We’re not going to take it for granted,? she said. ‘We’re working hard right to the end. We’re working right until the polls close.?
‘We just want to make sure that we continue in these final days to get the word out and have people understand what this issue is,? she added.
The 10-year, 18-mill tax on non-homestead properties that district voters originally approved in 1996 is set to expire with the December 2006 levy.
Non-homestead properties include businesses, commercial and industrial properties, rental properties, vacant land, second homes and vacation homes. Exempt from this category and hence this school tax are principal residences (i.e. the home you live in full-time) and qualified agricultural property.
As a result of the non-homestead millage’s pending expiration, the school district is asking voters to renew the entire 18-mill tax for another 10 years, from 2007 through 2016. ‘It is a renewal, not an increase,? she said.
If approved, the millage would generate approximately $5.4 million annually beginning next year.
In terms of funding, $5.4 million represents roughly 15 percent of the school district’s budget or approximately $1,200 of the $7,343 that’s allocated per student in Oxford. The rest of the money comes from the state.
To see what $5.4 million means to the schools in concrete terms consider the fact the district currently employs 225 teachers. ‘If we didn’t have this funding, we would have to eliminate almost half of them to make up the dollar difference,? Brennan-Kyro said. ‘Obviously, we could never do that.?
‘Even if you eliminated all of the administration, eliminated all of the clubs, eliminated all of the transportation (department) and athletics, we still would not be at that dollar amount,? the superintendent explained. ‘Obviously, I would never recommend that we do that, but it’s just a way to try to give folks a framework for understanding what it means and how $5.4 million translates in the district.?
These examples are not threats meant to scare people, they’re simply ways to ‘quantify for folks? exactly what $5.4 million means to the district.
‘We’ve worked very hard to maintain a positive campaign and not talk about cuts or reductions,? Brennan-Kyro said. ?(These examples are designed) to try to make it real for people because it’s difficult for all of us to wrap our arms around what does $5.4 million translate into, what does that mean??
Over the last month, school officials, teachers and parents have addressed meetings of the Rotary Club of Oxford, Oxford Lions Club, Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce, Oxford Township Board and Oxford Village Council in an attempt to inform people about the millage and its importance to the district.
‘We have done everything that we possibly can,? Brennan-Kyro said. ‘We’ve been to every event we could find. We have left no stone unturned.?
Between Oct. 11 and 18, a phone survey involving 4,000 district voters regarding the millage was conducted by a group of parents, teachers, administrators, school board members and spouses. All calls were made from private homes during the evening
Those surveyed were asked if they were aware of the school millage proposal and how they would vote if the election were held that day.
‘Overwhelmingly the response was ‘I know about it and yes, I support it,?? Brennan-Kyro said. ‘We did have about 100 people out of the 4,000 that we called that indicated they would like more information.?
Millage information was mailed to those 107 people. Brennan-Kyro paid for all the postage out of her pocket.
‘There were very, very few, I mean like a handful, that said ‘I’ll make up my own mind? or ‘Thank you, but I don’t vote? ? something along those lines,? she said.