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By the numbers
9: Consecutive new operating money losses for Tecumseh Local Schools.
98: The number of votes the Tecumseh bond issue lost by in Tuesday's election.
$1.6 million: Projected deficit for Tecumseh Local Schools after the 2013-2014 school year.
Tecumseh Local Schools will have two more chances to pass a levy for new operating funds — one in August and another in November — before a possible state takeover of the district.
Tecumseh Superintendent Brad Martin said the district already plans to put another levy on the August ballot. If it fails, the district probably will try again in November before the state would likely begin fiscal oversight in 2014.
“We would love to be able to get something passed one of these two times before the state makes that decision,” Martin said.
Since 2004, voters have defeated all nine levies asking for new money in the district. Voters have not approved a new levy for operating expenses since 1995. Levy renewals were passed in 2005, 2009 and 2011.
On Tuesday, voters rejected a ballot issue by a total of 98 votes. The 12.37-mill levy would have raised $3.5 million per year for the district.
The levy passed in all three New Carlisle precincts, but it failed at eight of nine Bethel Township precincts as well as at Pike Township and Miami County precincts.
Phillip Hermes, a 77-year-old New Carlisle resident, said he voted no because he believes the school’s leadership is more in tune with the needs of the teachers’ union than the community.
The district should also provide more information on why it needs more money, Hermes said.
“All the school is giving us is a bunch of slogans,” said Hermes, who had four kids graduate from the district.
He said he was surprised to see the levy fail again because of low voter turnout. He plans to vote no again in August.
Without the levy, the school district faces a $1.6 million deficit for the 2013-2014 school year. The district’s most recent five-year forecast submitted to the state shows the deficit could rise to $17 million by 2017.
Tecumseh has cut about $7 million since 2004, including cutting or not renewing at least 95 positions since 2003.
“We’re almost down to state minimum in programs,” Martin said.
If the deficit isn’t erased by budget cuts or new money coming into the district, it will have to borrow money from the state, Martin said, which could lead to a state oversight panel taking over operations.
According to unofficial Clark County Board of Elections results, 3,896 voters turned out for the Tecumseh levy on Tuesday with 51.2 percent rejecting new operating money.
Martin and the school board are optimistic a levy will eventually be passed. The margin of defeat improved from November of 2012, where an 8.95-mill levy failed with 55.9 percent of the vote. The first levy in 2004 was defeated with 71.7 percent no voters.
The Tecumseh Schools Levy Committee has spent approximately $25,500 in donations on levy campaigns since 2006, according to Clark County Board of Election campaign finance reports.
Martin said the district will continue working on how to make up ground.
“We’ve got to figure out what our next steps are to get us over the hump,” Martin said.
The district will have to pass a levy eventually, regardless of state takeover. The levies will likely be larger if the state takes over because the district will have to cover its current deficit and pay back money loaned from the state.
Programs — including high school busing, honors classes and extracurricular activities such as marching band and sports — could be affected by a state takeover.
Nick Trudics, a 1998 Tecumseh High School graduate, said he voted no on the issue because “having the inevitable state oversight would do wonders for the district.”
Trudics has an 11-year-old son who attends New Carlisle Elementary School, and said he often comes home with 20-year-old textbooks.
He said he’d rather see new textbooks purchased before things like field trips or music equipment.
While many of his neighbors blame people being stingy with money, Trudics believes residents have lost faith in the school system after nine straight levy failures.
Kerry Cassell, the president of the Tecumseh Education Association and a gym teacher in the district, called the levy’s defeat “saddening, disappointing and frustrating.” The union has 183 members, down from 221 members in 2004 through reductions.
“It’s too bad,” Cassell said. “The teachers, staff and administration work hard. We’ve got a great district. We’ve got amazing kids. It’s just so frustrating that we just can’t get it to pass.”
Cassell said she’s encouraged by the margin of defeat after nine losses and said she’s optimistic for the August election.
“The need is there,” Cassell said. “No one is hiding anything … This isn’t going away. We have to get the money.”
She also said state takeover won’t be “a magic cure.” Cassell said she’d like to see more no voters come to school board meetings and let their voice be heard.
“The state’s not going to come in and say ‘Hey, here’s your money’,” Cassell said. “It’s a loan you have to pay back. It’s not going to alleviate the problem. The community is still going to have to pass a levy.”
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