Shawnee board unanimous on renewal levy

SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP - The Shawnee school board will go to voters united after all.

Board member Ann Jacobs, who would not support putting a renewal levy on the November ballot last month, changed her vote Tuesday.

"The school does need the money," she said. "And I just think it is really important for boards to unanimously support levies."

The board took the final vote needed Tuesday to ask voters to approve a five-year, 4.34 mill renewal emergency operating levy. The levy, which first appeared on the ballot in 2004, raises $2.1 million a year for the district.

The money is for general operations, which could include salaries, benefits and the purchase of supplies.

Jacobs was never against the levy, but said last month that the board should wait until next year because of the difficult economic times people are facing. The current levy does not expire until 2009. Jacobs said Tuesday that she is still concerned about the state of the economy.

"I think people's mentality right now is to cut back," she said.

Superintendent Paul Nardini and Treasurer Greg Buddelmeyer both recommended that the district go on this year in order to have time if it would fail. They also said there were no guarantees that the economy would get any better.

Discussion on the renewal began two months ago with some wondering if they should wait because of the large voter turnout expected in November because of the presidential election.

Jacobs said she was also swayed to change her mind by favorable statistics provided by Buddelmeyer on schools going on the ballot the same time as a presidential election.