School levies take an election beating

HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WDTN) - It was a bad night Tuesday for many school levies across the Miami Valley.

Beavercreek's levy is still too close to call and will be recounted.

We can tell you that voters in just nine districts passed levies.

Of those, only Monroe's was for additional money.  The rest were renewal or emergency levies.

That means 16 levies failed, including Fairborn, Xenia, West Carrollton and Centerville.

That district facing the toughest days ahead might be Huber Heights.

Officials have promised to cut nearly 80 positions and state officials are stepping into the battle to get out of the red.

Some see the new buildings like the new high school in Huber Heights and think the district should be doing just fine, but the money for them can't be used for anything else.

Parents are worried that while the new buildings will stand for a long time, it will be their kids' education that crumbles.

"Our district is going down, our schools going down and our children are going to suffer because of it," said Ted Papalios, Huber Heights homeowner.

You can still see the proof of progress as new homes are being built in Huber Heights, but just down the street new evidence could soon pop up, showing the worries some have about the community's future.

Ted Papalios isn't ready to put out the for sale sign just yet, but wonders what kind of education his two kids will get here when the district has failed for the third time to pass a levy providing new money.

"No one wants to pay more taxes. I know I don't, but our school district needs it. This is the only way funding is happening now," said Papalios.

For others like Sue Harmes, the cuts are like a leash holding back the students.

Sue has lived in Huber Heights for more than 30 years and still has grandkids going to school there.

She wants students to have the same opportunities she did.

"The community has to stand up and say we want our kids educated, said Sue Harmes, Huber Heights resident.

The district's superintendent Susan Gunnell tells us it's already cut 117 positions in addition to the 77 expected because of the levy loss.

"We will continue to do our best and do more with less but the funding in Ohio with education is not working," said Susan Gunnell, Superintendent of Huber Heights Schools.

The Huber Heights School Board will meet Thursday evening at 6:00 in the Studebaker Middle School cafeteria. You can bet the subject on everyone's minds will be "what's next"?