Reflections on the Kettering School levy It was disappointing to lose our May 4 levy issue, especially by such a slim margin, about 600 votes. Iam pleased that the school issue made such a strong showing. Although the Kettering community hes a proud history of supporting school levies, asking for significant new money while the country is mired in a deep recession was a daunting task from the beginning. ‘The economic atmosphere for school levies is difficult. Americans across the country are very anxious about the future, ‘The state fiscal situation is precarious, at best. Local taxpayers are being expected to shoulder more and more responsibility. Montgomery County had more property tax levies on the ballot this spring than any other county in Ohio. As | traveled about the district talking with people over the last several months, I did not encounter a single person who did not like the Kettering Schools. Almost all of the folks who said that they could not vote for the school levy cited financial reasons. Many said, “J just can’t afford it right now.” We certainly appreciate the support ofall of our citizens who voted yes. Iam sure it was a difficult decision for many. A big thanks goes out to the members of our levy committee who worked very hard and buoyed us with a relentless super-positive attitude. ‘Thanks also to the Kettering Education Association and Ohio Association of Public School Employees, and to all of the employees of the Kettering Schools, who voluntecred their time, energy, and money to the campaign. Our levy Tri-Chairmen, Jim Trent, Fred Manchur, and Charley Schuetholz, provided exemplary leadership. Thanks also to our students who provided inspiration for our work by being their usual friendly, courteous, hard-working, and high-achieving selves, Difficult decisions lie ahead for the Kettering City School System. As we have seen in the Miami Valley and across the state, attempting to balance the budget solely by cutting ‘expenses will devastate any school system. With local revenue held constant by lav, state finding dwindling, new mandates such as all-day kindergarten on the horizon, and expenses steadily creeping up, new operating money is critical, Taxes are collected a year behind. If the Kettering community cannot pass a school levy in 2010, therefore precluding any new operating money for all of 2011, next summer will be a very bad time for Kettering Schools. In the next few weeks, we will step back, ponder any lessons from the May 4 campaign and election, assess our situation, and develop a new plan. I welcome any and all thoughts, comments, and suggestions from concerned citizens. [hope the Kettering people can pull together to continue to provide an outstanding education for the young people of the community,