Help Our School

By lhendershott
for GVmustangs.com

Published: October 31, 2011

Grand Valley School Levy

We need your help, on Nov 8th please VOTE yes for Issue #36.
OVERVIEW:
• Issue #36 is a new 5-year Emergency Operating Levy for the Grand Valley Local Schools.
• It will generate $655,000 per year which equals 3.9 mils.
• These funds will be used to pay for normal operating expenses of the district, including programs, support staff, textbooks, supplies, technology, utilities, fuel and services.
• If passed, collections from this levy will begin in January, 2012.
• It is less than the November, 2010 request of 4.9 mils.

HOW MUCH WILL THIS RAISE YOUR TAXES???
• Homeowners with property value $150,000 ~ your taxes would be raised about $180 year / $15 month / $0.50 day
• Homeowners with property value $250,000 ~ your taxes would be raised about $300 year / $25 month / $0.83 day is
• This is less then a cup of coffee a day.
IF this does NOT pass on Nov 8th then there will be MORE cuts to programs that help our children.
• Elimination of Elementary Specials ~ art, music & physical education.
• Elementary Family Intervention Specialist.
• Technology position.
• Middle School Education position.
• Middle School English position.
• 2 Support Staffs
• ALSO in lie of eliminating the extracurricular positions, the most probable solution will be to INCREASE the Pay to Participate fees again.
Since the failure of the November, 2010 request, the district has tightened it’s belt:
• All staff have agreed to a 0% salary adjustment for the next 2 years
• All staff now contribute toward their insurance premium
• Implementation of Pay to Participate
• Elimination of Freshman Sports
• Reduction of 11 Staff positions and 16 supplemental contracts
• Elimination After School Enrichment Programs
• Reduction of funds from the State cut away at current funding levels
• One-Time State Stimulus Funding sources will dry up after this year: $384,535 in FY 2010, $472,586 in FY 2011, $327,876 in FY 2012 and zero in FY 2013
• Elimination of Tangible Personal Property Tax reimbursement to the district by the State: $390,795 in FY 2011, $162,077 in FY 2012, $4,265 in FY 2013 and zero in FY 2014
• Over $1.2M in cuts have been made over the past 4 years, over $650,000 in the past year alone
• District officials reduced the millage on the bond issue in January, 2011 by 2 mils to reduce burden on the district taxpayers
• District officials are in the process of refunding (refinancing) the bonds for the construction of the new school over the remaining term of the debt and will save taxpayers over $1M over the next 13 years due to lower rates which will mean reduced millage in the future
• Buses are filled to capacity to reduce routes

Student Success
School districts rely on local support to create and maintain programs for their students. This comes in the form of PTO’s, Booster Groups, Community Groups and local taxpayers who provide the greatest finanicial support. We have relied on this support since Grand Valley’s inception in 1950 and have not received additional funds from any new operating levies since 1992-almost 20 years now. School District officials want to keep the programs and activities that currently exist in our school system. We need the support of our community.

FREE SPEGHETTI DINNER

FREE SPAGHETTI DINNER &
LEVY INFORMATION NIGHT

Vote Yes on Issue 36
WHEN: NOV 04, 2011
TIME: 5-7PM
WHERE: GRAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

This is a FREE dinner for EVERYONE. Rather you have children or not in the school district we encourage you to please come to the dinner. Listen to what is being said about our school and the children’s future.
Mr. Nye will be available to answer questions and to discuss the levy.
We will also have a performance by the Show Choir

Special thanks to:
Karleen Wright for organizing the dinner &
Grand Valley Boosters, PTO’s, Staff, Administration & Community.
DID YOU KNOW: That due to cuts last year, some teachers now teach 2 different subjects or teach subjects they never had before and the class sizes are around 30 kids and teachers have a total of around 150? and that All staff have agreed to a 0% salary adjustment for the next 2 years and All staff now contribute toward their insurance premium ?
DID YOU KNOW: The last time district taxpayers had an increase in taxes for operating funds for the school was 1992? That is almost 20 years without an additional operating levy.

Help Our School

GV Mustangs Latest