WTOL.com: News, Weather and Sport for Toledo, OhioMaumee schools warn of cuts if levy fails, voters still undecided

Maumee schools warn of cuts if levy fails, voters still undecided

MAUMEE, OH (WTOL) - Maumee City Schools has laid out exactly what the district will cut if its levy is not approved in the November election.

The school board asked Superintendent Gregory Smith to put together a list of cuts if the levy fails. The cuts total up to $2.2 million, the amount the district will miss out on next year without the levy.

"We have tried to be proactive over the years. We have eliminated 54 positions to this date, reduced about $5 million in expenditures over time. We are at a tipping point," Smith said.

The following is Smith's list of recommended cuts if the levy fails:

High school bussing will halt on December first. Sports and activities fees will go up to as much as $300 per activity. Those fees will be implemented for the winter sports season beginning in a few weeks.

The following year, all day kindergarten will be eliminated. Bussing will only be provided for K-8 students outside of a two mile radius.

Finally 25 to 30 staff members will go, upping class sizes to at least 30 students each.

"When you get up to that kind of a number, it's very difficult for teachers to individualize. Students that might be struggling, students that might need extra help, extra support… It won't happen," Smith said.

The district recently had a 5.9 mill levy defeated. Administrators revised that number down to 4.9 mill this time around and are campaigning harder.

However, voters seem divided.

"I'm leaning toward the side of the kids," said Pam Zielinski, who has three children at Maumee High School. "I'm caught in between because I'd hate for the sporting events to be cut out and the extracurricular activities, but I also hate to see the taxpayers pay even more."

"Maumee sends out a lot of literature on what's going to be cut, what's not going to be cut, what it's going to be used for. I understand all of that," said Karen Ash, a Maumee property owner. "I just don't want more taxes paid out of my pocket."

Voters will head to the polls on November eighth.

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