FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio -- With Election Day only a few weeks away, South-Western City Schools continued to hope the fourth time is a charm when it comes to passing a levy.
Failure in the August special election forced the cancelation of extracurricular activities and bussing and school closures.
The millage was cut from 8.3 to 7.4 in the upcoming election in an effort to restore bussing and extended building hours and institute pay-to-play sports and activities .
Over the past three years, 350 positions have been cut along with sports programs and bussing.
According to Cathy Johnson, president school board, even if Issue 47 to were to pass, the district would have to cut another $15 million over the next four years.
Johnson previously told NBC 4 the district would reinstate sports programs on a pay-to-participate basis and bussing would be restored if the levy were to pass.
Residents were on hand Monday evening to learn about and comment on the pay-to-participate plan.
Under the plan, it would cost $150 to participate in a high-school sport, $100 for the high-school band and $20 to join a club. A middle-school sport would cost $75.
Each price is per student and per activity. For example, it would cost $300 for one student to participate in two high-school sports.
There would be a cap of $500 per family.
There wouldn't be a waiver based on financial need.
“We don't pass levies because we're smarter than Westerville and Dublin,” one attendee said. “But when I sit on my steps and look at this building but don't hear the band practicing or see football games, I don't think we're smarter.”
“In proportion to income and property values in proportion to income, our taxes are among the highest in the area not the lowest,” another attendee said.
The 7.4-mill levy would cost taxpayers about $19 a month for every $100,000 in property value.
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