MEADOW HEIGHTS PLANS BUDGET CUTS IN PROGRAMS, STAFF

PATTON -- Meadow Heights School District officials are looking at cutting programs and staff in the aftermath of Tuesday's defeat of a proposed tax hike.

Superintendent Tom Waller said Wednesday that there is also a possibility the funding measure will be resubmitted to voters.

Voters rejected the tax hike measure by a vote of 434 for to 509 against, a 46 to 54 percent margin, respectively.

Waller said the tax measure came close to passing. "We felt like 400 yes votes is what we needed. We got 434." He estimated that about 80 percent of the district's voters went to the polls Tuesday.

The issue of budget cuts is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the district's school board Monday night.

"We are going to look at the possibility of reducing programs immediately," said Waller.

School officials are looking at making cuts totaling $113,000, with some of those being immediate cuts.

Prior to Tuesday's vote, a committee of community members outlined a plan for cutting costs. The plan, among other things, calls for:

Reducing kindergarten from a full-day to a half day program.

Eliminating elementary, junior high and high school art classes.

Eliminating elementary and junior high school physical education.

Cutting assistant coaching positions for volleyball and basketball.

Eliminating girls softball and boys baseball.

Cutting a bus mechanic's position from full time to half time.

Eliminating summer employment for four of five maintenance workers.

"Those (cuts) that can feasibly start immediately, we will discuss that with the board," said Waller.

Under a state law, the school district could make program cuts this spring rather than have to wait until the start of the next school year. He said the law allows such program cuts in cases where there is a financial need.

The program cuts could lower the district's rating from AA to unclassified. If that occurs, Meadow Heights graduates may find they have to take some remedial course work to gain admittance to some universities, explained Waller.

"In a school district with 576 kids, these reductions are only going to hurt the kids," he said.

"There wasn't money for new salaries or things like that. It was strictly to maintain programs."

Waller said the tax issue on Tuesday's ballot was a complicated one that some voters probably didn't understand.

The measure called for a 98-cent tax hike, but actually taxpayers would have realized only a 49-cent increase in their school taxes for five years, Waller said.

With the property tax rollback, the district's levy would be $1.06. But to qualify for state funds a district must levy a tax of at least $1.25. The school board, as allowed by law, has raised the levy to $1.25 for the past five years without voter approval.

Coupled with the debt service levy, the district's total tax rate currently stands at $2.03 per $100 assessed valuation.

The district had plans to reduce the 78-cent debt service levy.

If the tax hike had been approved and the other taxing changes made, the new tax rate would have been $2.52, said Waller.

"Had our issue not been so complicated, I don't think there would be a question that it would pass," he said.

"I think the hard-core, anti-tax people used that complication to stimulate their vote.

"When you have to put on the ballot 98 cents, but it is only going to cost 49 cents, naturally you raise a suspicion right away."

Waller said state lawmakers are considering legislation that would enact a $2 minimum tax levy for school districts. Such legislation could take effect in January.

If that occurs and the district's debt service levy remains at 78 cents, Meadow Heights taxpayers will end up paying school taxes totaling $2.78 instead of the $2.52 they would have paid under the just-defeated tax proposal.

Waller said the current budget crisis stems from state funding cuts totaling between $100,000 and $115,000.

The defeated tax proposal would have raised about $95,000 in additional revenue.

Waller said he hates to see the rural district cut programs and eliminate staff. "The school is the entire community here. Everything happens at school the events, the ball games, the band concerts, education. This is the hub of activity. It is just very difficult to see that go backwards."