DAYTON — Dayton voters rejected Dayton Public’s Schools’ proposed levy today.
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The levy was an additional 7-mill levy: 5 mills for current operating expenses and 2 mills for general permanent improvements, according to the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
The measure would have cost homeowners $245 per $100,000 in value, according to a previous News Center 7 report.
DPS superintendent Dr. David Lawrence told News Center 7 back in October that the proposed levy would generate about $14.7 million per year.
He said the district would have to look at making staff cuts if the levy fails.
“We will not be adding administrators. We are simply keeping programming and keeping people to push our progress forward, said Dr. Lawrence. “Turning schools around is not something we do overnight.”
The Dayton Chamber of Commerce released a statement opposing the levy.
“Our students deserve better, and our tax-paying businesses and families deserve accountability,” said Chris Kershner, President & CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. “Throwing more money at a problem doesn’t fix the problem.”
The chamber said that the district has not been a strong community partner and that property taxes are already too high. It added that the levy would discourage economic growth in Dayton.
The chamber also criticized DPS performance. It cited the district’s almost 44 percent chronic absenteeism rate and almost 67 percent of students graduating on time.
DPS has not put an additional tax levy on the ballot in 18 years.
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