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Perkins school board votes for another levy try in August
Alissa Widman
May 9, 2013

The Perkins Schools board agreed Wednesday morning to place a 10-year, 6.73-mill levy on the August ballot. The decision came less than 24 hours after voters overwhelmingly rejected a 4.98-mill proposal.

The state auditor’s deadline to place levies on the August ballot was 4 p.m. Wednesday. District treasurer Lisa Crescimano had certified three levies with the auditor this past week: a new permanent improvement levy, an identical 4.98-mill levy and the 6.73-mill levy.

Voters approved a 2-mill permanent improvement levy Tuesday, a renewal, leaving the district with the latter two choices for August. The auditor’s recent property re-evaluations estimate the district will lose an additional $400,000, doubling its projected deficit to about $1 million for the coming school year, Crescimano said. The district’s budget is about $23 million.

In early April, board members approved $12 million cuts for the next four years. They’ll now meet twice this month to discuss and possibly approve additional cuts. A closed-door meeting is slated for 7 p.m. May 16 in the high school’s administrative service center. A public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 29 in Room 805 at the high school.

Board president Matthew Kosior opened a second meeting Wednesday night with a statement about Tuesday’s election. He highlighted several “divisive issues” within the district, including approving an open enrollment policy, moving inside millage into the permanent improvement fund and employing a superintendent who does not live within the district.

Kosior urged everyone to research the issues during the upcoming campaign and ask questions if necessary.

“We understand there are key issues people disagree with,” he said. “But as we put this next levy on the ballot, we ask that people please consider the facts. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but they’re not entitled to their own facts.”

About 30 people attended the meeting, but only two spoke about the levy.

Perkins Township resident Ralph Roshong, a regular vocal opponent of the levies, continued to criticize the board’s 2011 decision to move inside millage from its operating fund into its permanent improvement fund. He suggested the board move the millage back and stop its plans to pursue a new school building.

The comments led to heated debate between Roshong and Kosior. 

If the district moved its millage again, it would need to get voters to approve two levies in the future — one to stabilize finances, the other to address facility needs with new construction or significant renovations, Kosior said. The district would also be unable to access the moved funds until next year, which would not fix this year’s finances.

“Although moving millage back may politically be a better move, fiscally, it’s not,” Kosior said. “You’re suggesting we propose nearly 14 mills of levies to voters. Do you think that will pass versus the 4.98 we just proposed?”

Township resident Rick Uher, a levy supporter, suggested board members and levy committee members better educate voters about testy issues, including what he called a “fiscally responsible” inside millage move.

“I don’t want taxes as much as the next person, but people of Perkins need to face the reality that something needs to be done,” Uher said. “Whatever is our proposed best plan, we need to make sure everyone in the community understands it so we can move on.”



In the past ten years how many new homes and new businesses have increased? There is no reason for NEW TAXES, the money is there just quit blowing it. The voters keep telling the school board and their superintendant we do not want or need a new high school. Use the money wisely and responsibly that you have.


The new businesses are not providing increased taxes because they are given tax abatement for years. The school board has to agree to this which they always do.



Wish this was true for levies.


Terrorism is a great analogy of our school leaders and their funding methods.

You continue to keep trying to achieve your goals and you only have to succeed once. The public must keep vigil at all times.

Sharin' Johnson

Doo nuts is a gr8t analogy to hem roids

U scratch but Dunkins b still commentenin!


Vote NO on the August levy! Recall the board and fire Gunner!


This is unbelievable. These people just don't get it! All of you that voted no on the new levy but voted yes on the renewal need your head examined. You should have known this was going to happen. They are going for low voter turn out so it will squeak by. We need to get the word out and put this levy down by at least 80%! Where can we obtain VOTE NO ON PERKINS SCHOOLS signs???

Finn Finn

You are absolutely right Perkins 2060. This is the same B.S. the Port Clinton School Board succeeded with. They wear the voter down and they do it purposely. They do the same thing over and over, until they get what they want. I used to think they just didn't understand the financial hardship new school taxes place on some residents. Now, it's clear they just don't care.


Plus, how much does it cost us each time they put these levies on the ballot? Not to mention a special May and August ballot? I agree with VOTENO. Recall the board immediately!

Perkins Resident

They remind me of a little whiny child that keeps asking over and over and over again for something after they have been told no by an adult. Go away!




So once again the voting public has to say "no" to an operating levy to keep the superintendent and school board from removing the public's right to vote on school building issues.

Somehow the school board president forgot to mention this as an issue on why taxpayers are voting "no".


Perkins Resident hit the nail on the head: Whiny (not to mention entirely unreasonable) children!

"Mom, can I have a new XBox?" "No, we can't afford it right now." "Waaaahhhh!"

"Mom, can I have some candy?" "No, it's not good for you to eat so much candy." "Waaaaahhhhh!"

"Perkins residents, can we get some more of your hard-earned cash to play with?" "No. You've got enough to do what you must do." "Waaaaaaahhhhh!"

"Hey, Perkins property owners, can we raise your taxes to build a new building we kind don't NEED, but we super really WANT?" "No, sorry, we can't afford it right now." "Waaaaaahhhh!"

And now these selfish brats, having heard the resounding "No!" from voters, are just going to keep asking? Here's hoping Perkins voters treat them JUST like the misbehaving kids they resemble and don't let the annoyance wear them down. The answer is STILL "no," and it ought to STAY "no."



Finn Finn

Reminds me of that A T & T commercial with the little girl saying "WE WANT MORE, WE WANT MORE". Words that come to mind . . . arrogant, insulting, petulant, selfish, bullies. You folks need to form a committee of your own to fight this - posters, yard signs, handouts, even driving people to the polls if necessary, to keep this thing from passing. These school board member types are well-organized and determined to get what they ask for come he!! or high water!


Well, you voted no, so now we are coming back for MORE?? This time I bet they say they will cut football. That will get the yes votes out.


Cut football and see how many kids and open enrollment dollars flock out of Perkins. I would LOVE to see that threat! Perkins would lose HUGE dollars!


The BOE and Gunner are unbelievable! What a dumb decision to put another levy up in August! It's just going to make people angrier. Hopefully it loses by an even wider margin this time! Hey, maybe Perkins can hold some classes in their multi-million dollar football stadium!


BOE members and Gunner: What part of NO don't you understand? Three times the voters have said NO to taxes for the purpose of building new buildings. All the energy, time and money that you have wasted on these campaigns could have been put to better use. Now you're going to start the cycle all over again. We don't need to be "better educated about testy issues". You need to start understanding what we are telling you... NO you can't have everything you want. Get over yourselves!



True Blue

A man was going around the polling places checking the precinct listings to see who hadn't voted. Then he called or texted them to get their xSS's to the polls and vote. If Gunner and his hit men had voters behind them, they wouldn't have to make calls on the day of voting. Has Gunner taken a pay cut? This man just doesn't understand most people of Perkins can't afford more taxes. A NEW CAMPUS DOESN'T GIVE A BETTER EDUCATION. HAS THAT 1.3 MILLION DOLLAR STADIUM CREATED A BETTER EDUCATION?? See you at the polls in August and I'm voting NO again.


Perkins voters turned down the 4.98 operating levy and now you get to try again only with a 6.73 mill over 10 years. What part of no don't the schools understand? This election will be a special election and that makes it worse because you can't even get them to the primary let alone a special election. And in the middle of the summer when everyone is on vacation. I am sure if it doesn't pass, they will try again until it does.

Finn Finn

Agreed. Again I say, a committee needs to be formed to fight this levy. Don't think for a moment that the school board members, administration, those vocal "moms" who show up en masse at the board meetings to support a new levy, aren't working feverishly, yet surreptitously to get this thing approved the next time.


I heard this board gave the superintendent a new three year contract extension? Can someone confirm if this is true or not.


Voting in August sucks, Lets see how many signs are up in August for the Levy or will they try to get the vote under the table when no one is paying attention.




I need Vote No signs!


if you were turn down for the 4 mil levy as well as others in the past , what the hell makes you think you are going to get a ten year 6 mil levy past?
Perkins you have to be crazy to think that you are going to get that kinda levy passed
You need to know that how ever way you try to get this passed its going down and going down hard , The folks of Perkins have answered your question over and over again.
You need to try and get people to believe this is needed threw proof and all we have read about is what this one says and that one says , Thats not proof
I myself dont think that its needed as bad ass what is lead to believe , if it were we would have seen the proof and it wouldnt just be from elected officials as well as other goverment , We would see it in the teachers as well as students and the complaints that they would have made
I myself think it is not needed .
Isnt there some controll over the amount of times you an place these levies on ballets ? If their isnt , there should be and I think that if they are going to place one it should be in the general election or the May election only . And should it fail they can not make any more attempt for a period of time , like years . if it fails
Most people would have waited and tried later and came up with a game plan to help push it through , and the main way is not by word of mouth , but by tax payers

Finn Finn


Believe me, they are DETERMINED to get what they want. This is exactly what went on in Port Clinton a few years ago until, after four, five times, in November, April, August, November again, repeatedly, they finally got it passed.

A week before the final election, I received a letter in the mail from the wife of a school board member, (although she didn't identify herself as such) urging me to vote Yes, with a long dissertation as to why it was necessary and would benefit all of us (REALLY? all of us?) . . . and on and on and on. Of course I voted voted No, but I wondered how many other folks received the same letter and were pursuaded to vote for the levy. As we speak, these levy supporters are working hard behind the scenes, meeting, volunteering, planning, calculating, to get what they want. Get organized folks. Show them that two can play that game! Make it clear to people on the fence that it's all right to vote No, that they are not being selfish, that they are not obligated to continually dig dipper into their pockets for upgrades when they can barely make ends meet themselves. Don't be bullied!


Margaretta did the same thing. There was a levy on the ballot constantly until it finally passed.