Before you dive into your jigs dinner and pitchers of green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, you might want to consider stopping by the Toledo Board of Education’s public hearing at 5:30 p.m. at Start High School to contribute to the public debate surrounding Toledo Public School’s projected $30 million deficit in the coming fiscal year.
While the city of Toledo is suffering from a $48 million deficit, TPS is facing financial problems of its own and has decided to place a tax levy on the ballot come May fourth. According to an article published in the Blade on March 4 titled “Toledo Public Schools proposals would end all athletics, shut Libbey,” the proposed 0.75 percent income tax will generate $18.1 million each year and would require the school district to make $17.5 million in budget cuts as opposed to $30 million if the levy isn’t passed.
The board is preparing for the worst and has developed plans for either scenario. If the levy does not pass in May, the board is planning to close Libbey High School, Toledo Technical Academy and Toledo Early College High School — each of which will save the district between $1.2 million and $1.8 million. The cuts also include abolishing athletic programs in order to save $3.54 million and eliminating bus transportation for high school students living within a “two-mile walking-zone,” the Blade reported. However, if the levy is passed, less drastic budgets cuts will be enacted and the three area high schools will likely be salvaged.
While both outcomes translate into dismal financial straits for TPS, we ask that voters support the more favorable situation — that is, the 0.75 percent tax levy. While we agree with the Blade’s March 7 editorial titled “The hole in the TPS plan,” which asked that TPS administrators make “comparable financial sacrifices,” we also believe that TPS is doing all it can to remain fair — and the Blade should as well. TPS administrators have remained transparent, opening their hearings to the public. They have sat down to renegotiate contracts with their union employees, whose contracts will be up at the end of March for teachers and in June for various other personnel. And in addition, they are considering eliminating six administrative positions and five clerical positions, according to the aforementioned Blade article.
When following the developments surrounding the TPS budget hole, Toledoans should keep in mind that the school district’s financial problems were not created by any corrupt public official or any incompetent group of administrators. Though these things can add to the downfall of a school district, nothing can wreak havoc on public schools worse than declining tax revenues. As Toledo’s economy lies in shambles and the local housing market remains far from recovery, household incomes in the city continue to be deflated and, moreover, home values have continued to decline, leaving the city with less cash in its coffers. And even worse, being on the verge of declaring financial emergency, the city can’t expect commercial banks to finance their spending until its budget woes are settled.
Where will the money come from? No one knows yet — in fact, the money might not ever come. Where should the money come from? The taxpayers. Enough fingerpointing and deflecting responsibility. This is our city and TPS is our school district. As May fast approaches, we urge Toledoans to pay close attention to the issue and to keep the future of this city’s education system in mind.
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