Issue 109 – An Issue Of Accountability

Issue 109 is an Emergency Levy of 9 mills for 10 years. The mailer from the Euclid School Board read, “We need Issue 109… to improve the quality of education for our children and our city.” History has shown that passage of 109 will not improve our schools.

Before I explain, let me say this. The vast majority of the parents and guardians of our students love their children. They want the best education and learning environment possible for them.

In contrast, the Euclid Schools have too long practiced the soft bigotry of low expectations. They operate under the assumptions that if you come from a single parent household or if you’re low income or if you’re African American you cannot be expected to learn. These assumptions are false. They discourage our youth and insult the adults who raise them. They perpetuate failure and weaken our neighborhoods.

Broken Promises: In 2008 the Schools promised that if voters passed a 6.9mill levy, schools would improve. Voters trusted the leadership and a $100,000 home saw its taxes increase $241.50 a year. Schools did not improve.

In 2009-10 Euclid Schools met only 4 of 26 standards – 10^th Grade Writing, 11^th Grade repeat tests Reading & Writing and Attendance. Adequate Yearly Progress was Not Met.

In 2010-11 Euclid Schools met 5 of 26 standards – 10^th Grade Reading & Writing, 11^th Grade repeat tests Reading & Writing and Attendance. Adequate Yearly Progress was Not Met. Graduation Rate 62.4%.

In 2011-12 Euclid Schools met 5 of 24 standards - 10^th Grade Writing, 11^th Grade repeat tests Reading, Writing, Math & Social Science. Adequate Yearly Progress Not Met. Graduation Rate 66.5%. 

Euclid Schools rank 3^rd from the bottom, above Cleveland and East Cleveland.

New Schools-New Names-Clean Slate: In 2009 the Euclid Schools asked for 3.5mills to raise $40 million to build 4 new schools. Voters were told new schools would cut operating costs about $1 million a year and scores would improve. Voters trusted the leadership and a $100,000 home saw its taxes increase $122.50 a year.

The first step in improving scores was to wipe the slate clean. Euclid Schools closed Indian Hills, Lincoln and Memorial schools. They re-named the new schools Arbor (Roosevelt), Shoreview (Upson), Bluestone (Thomas Jefferson) and Chardon Hills (Glenbrook). This move accomplished three things. It eliminated 3 failing schools. It wiped out previous years’ report cards. It cut off vouchers for students attending private schools. After this year, those students will be forced to return to the failing system to hopefully improve the district’s progress. When times are tough, you do what you gotta do.

Issue 109: If passed, the 9mill levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $315 a year. This is on top of the net loss to homeowners whose values plunged but whose taxes will remain basically the same (see my HR920 Post) and the increase in shared income tax revenues. To justify the tax increase, the Euclid School Board lists 8 things the levy will accomplish.  

- Insure all students read at grade level by end of 3^rd grade. 

- Increase tests scores and graduation rates; and Improve college and workforce readiness.  

- Improve behavior and create a positive learning environment.   

- Ensure high quality instruction; Increase technology in the classroom; Work with local businesses to offer real world experience.  

- Efficiently and effectively manage district resources.

The net cost on an average home is .40 a day ($146/yr increase)

The mailer, signed by every Board member, reveals the following sad facts:

- Our kids are being passed to the next grade before they’ve mastered their subject matter

- Overall, their behavior is bad

- The quality of instruction is inadequate

- The district’s handling of resources is inefficient and ineffective

- The average home in Euclid is now worth only $47,000.

By the Board’s own admission, Euclid Schools are failing our students and their guardians and the tax payers who support them.

If you really want to improve our schools, here’s what you can do:

-        Vote No on 109. Give the schools one year to show taxpayers that the new schools and new leadership are living up to their promises of improved scores, a positive learning environment and better behavior.

-        Hold the schools accountable for their past promises and for the trust voters have placed in them. If there is improvement, then come back and ask for money. They will have earned it.

-        In Nov 2013 replace the current Board that has by its own admission, overseen the inefficient and ineffective use of district resources; and has failed to implement policies that improve student behavior, academic achievement and graduation rates.

It’s time to raise our expectations and our standards for the Schools, for the students and for the teachers. It’s time for accountability.   

HR920 and Your Property Taxes

Most homeowners in Euclid saw their property values go down significantly. Mine went down 40%. Don’t expect to see a corresponding drop in your property taxes, though. Only inside millage which tops out at 10 mills and the Street Lights assessment adjust up or down with property values. All voted millage is held to the dollars the levy at the time of passage was designed to generate. That’s because of a state law HR920. The purpose of HR920 was two-fold:

-       - To protect property owners during higher value/inflationary times from paying more than voters approved

     - To protect the entity during down times from receiving less than voters approved

How HR920 Works: Let’s use the Rec Dept as an example. In 1976 two charter levies were passed totaling 2mills. The value was about $300,000. The $300,000 was guaranteed and fixed. Over the next 35 years, as property values rose, the Rec Dept income remained fixed at $300,000 in order to protect property owners. In 2011, those 2mills residential effective rate had dropped to .513341 mills. That was the millage required to meet the $300,000.

HR920 applies to the following funds. The voted millage is followed by 2011 effective residential millage in parentheses. County Jail: .17m (.17) expires 2012; Mental Health: 3.9m (3.841628); County Health: 2.9m (2.856595); Health & Welfare: 4.8m (4.8) expired 2011; Metro Parks: 1.8m (1.818768); Library Operating: 4m (4); TriC: 3.1m (3.082039); Port Authority: .13m (.103340).

Euclid Schools is made up of the 1995 Library Bond, Permanent levies from ’76, ’79, ’85, ’88, ’92, ’99 and ‘05, a 2008 Emergency 10yr levy, and the 2009 New Schools Bond. Added up, they total 88.4m (53.314689).

This is the part of your property tax that does not change with property values. The grand total of millage impacted by HR920 is 122.850 voted mills. The 2011 residential effective rate based on the value of Euclid is 80.3619. After the Owner Occupancy and Residential Rollbacks, the effective rate drops to 71.59 mills. The devaluation of Euclid will likely raise the effective rate to insure funds voters approved at the time of passage. It should not raise your dollars paid though.

Thanks to HR920 property owners have been protected for the last 35 years. Now the tables have turned to protect the funds approved by voters. As a result, don’t expect your property tax to drop by much more than a few bucks. You can find a breakdown of voted millage by visiting the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer’s website. Under Schools and Local Govt Data, open the documents DTE 515 and DTE 27.