City divided over school levy

VANDALIA, Ohio (WDTN) - As the owner of Christy's Pizza, Steve Dent knows how to bake success into every bite.

"At Christy's we're not always going to be the cheapest but everybody thinks we're going to be the best," Dent says.

When it comes to the Vandalia-Butler schools, one of which is across the street from his restaurant, Dent says the recipe isn't much different from the one Christy's has been using for more than 50 years.

Just replace pepperoni with pupils.

"You can skimp on the ingredients but the end product you're going to be able to tell," Dent says of pizza making. " Just like education, if you skimp on what's going into the kids you're going to skimp on what comes out."

That's why Dent says he's supporting Vandalia-Butler's 6.99 mill levy on the ballot November 6th that would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $214 a year.

The school district says if it doesn't pass, it would mean fewer programs, larger class sizes, up to 60 job cuts and what Dent fears the most, a less-attractive Vandalia.

"The schools are the cornerstone of the community no matter where you live," Dent says. "If you don't have good schools the community starts deteriorating."

But if the school levy was a pizza, it would be one with different toppings on each half.

Just a drive down Stonequarry Road will show you that along with the 'Vote Yes' signs are 'Vote No' signs.

"We are for the children and for the students and for good education but with the economy the way it's been we cannot afford any more taxes," says Rene Oberer.

Oberer is part of Homeowners for Fair Taxation, a group opposing the levy.

She is a Butler graduate and she says her kids are too.

She thinks the school has good ingredients but just not the right financial recipe.

"When you're spending someone else's money it goes a little easier and they need to tighten it up like we've all had to," Oberer says.