School district digging out of debt

FAIRBORN, Ohio (WDTN) - Marilyn Power is worried about the future of Fairborn City Schools.

"I'm concerned because we're having to cut back on things we shouldn't have to cut back on," says Power

She has three children who graduated from the district and now she has four grandchildren in Fairborn.

"Our kids had every opportunity in the world and they had a great education and I'd like to see the same opportunity for my grandchildren, as well," explains Power.

The district has already made close to $3 million in cuts, while state funding has decreased by the same amount.

And since the $7.4 mill emergency operating levy failed in November, treasurer Eric Beavers says, "we're basically broke,"

The state has now been forced to step in.  The district has been recommended for fiscal caution which means it will have 60 days to come up with a plan to dig its way out of debt.

"A fiscal financial supervision and planning commission will be initiated, will come in and that commission has authority of approving all contracts and approving all purchase orders over $5,000 and just basically working with the district as a financial planner," explains Roger Hardin, the Assistant Director of Finance Program Services with the Ohio Department of Education.

School administrators say the district can't make any more cuts and still meet state requirements.

"The cuts that we've already made have hurt every child's opportunity and that's what we're trying to preserve.  SO, we're going to have to borrow money so we can preserve as many educational programs that we can.  But, at the same time, we do have to increase our revenue stream, which means another levy request," comments Beavers.

So while the state's fix is temporary, Beavers says taxpayers will ultimately have to pass a levy in order to save the schools.

"I think you need to bite the bullet, people need to bite the bullet and vote for your school levies," says

School administrators tell 2 News the district plans to put a new levy on the ballot in May.