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Preserve
and Protect
By Carla Surber, GCSD
Treasurer
I was a child who was
raised with core values in an agricultural community, and learned the
importance of preserving what you have. I conduct my business in
this way, both personally and professionally, regarding ownership and
maintenance of property. “To preserve what you have for future
generations” is a phrase that I hold as a truism.
On May 6th,
we have an opportunity to renew a permanent improvement levy. This
will be the sixth time we can affirm the need for the levy, which
exclusively maintains, improves or purchases district assets. The
money cannot be used to fund salaries or benefits for personnel.
Anything purchased with this money is required to have a life of at
least five years by legal statute. A homeowner of a $ 100,000 house
in Greenville School District is paying annually $ 29.80 for this
levy. A renewal of this levy also keeps another $ 4.26 flowing from
the state in rollback dollars from this same home. This was
eliminated from new levies last year. Renewal brings money to our
community from the State of Ohio coffers.
This is not a request for
new taxes. It is a continuation of a tax that has been in effect for
twenty-five years and has served the district well. This levy is for
the maintenance of items that we own, or to purchase new assets in
order to protect and serve the children of our district. Times are
changing and the need to create a safe environment for those we serve
is of paramount importance. The news around us makes it clear that
our children are in peril from dangerous situations. The dollars
from this levy will continue to be used for preservation and safety
enhancement for the district. Expenditures will be made with
thoughtful purpose, minimizing the use of dollars on existing
buildings which will be out of service after three years.
Yes, we are building a new
building, and yes, the people voted to build and maintain that new
building. However, there will be an interim period in which it will
be necessary to keep present structures in working order, hopefully
with assets that can be moved to the new facility or kept in the
present high school. Renewal of the levy will serve that purpose. The
new building will not open until the 2016-2017 school year.
Your support of this levy
is critical to our continued needs. Please vote on May 6th
to keep our district structurally sound.
Carla
Surber
Greenville
City Schools
Treasurer
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