Only homeowners should vote on school levies


If you live in Franklin Township or Kent, have you taken a look at your current property taxes lately? The value of my house went down, but my property taxes went up over $100 per year, and this is before the Kent school levy gets voted on. Per the Portage County Auditor's office, this is because of home foreclosures and delinquent taxes and less money from the state.

The Kent schools are allowed to collect more from me and anyone else who pays property tax, as long as they get the allotted amount. Now, they are asking for an 8.9-mill levy. This will cost me approximately $550 more each year if it gets voted in.

Where do I get this money from? My health insurance went up $80 a month this year also. Food prices are up, gasoline is way up, the cost of living is skyrocketing, etc. What about senior citizens? Are we going to get hundreds of dollars more in Social Security checks to cover these expenses? I think not.

Maybe it is time our superintendents, principals and teachers start paying their fair share. They are very well paid and have great benefits (pensions, health care, paid vacations, sick days, etc).

They say they need the money so they don't have to cut busing and extracurricular activities. So many scare tactics all the time. Maybe children should walk to school like we used to. Besides, Mr. Giancola, aren't you the one who wants the children locked in the schools all day without going out for recess so no one can harm our children? Then they obviously don't need extra activities because sports are played outside. You also want shatterproof glass put in all the doors and a policeman at all the schools. Are you going to pay for all these unnecessary things for a fail-safe society?

And oh, by the way I think only homeowners should vote for school levies. I am sure all those kids at Kent State who vote the levies in. They don't own property, what do they care? It won't cost them anything.

And, please, teachers, do not talk to students including first-graders about what they will lose if the levy doesn't pass. This is propaganda and these are adult matters.

Kathleen Drown, Franklin Township

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  • I think that only property owners should be allowed to vote on any issue pertaining to taxes or regulations on property. You must remember that when you pass a levy or a regulation on property, the property owners do not have a choice, they must pay the tax. I believe the average social security amount is around $12,000 a year. The people on welfare get more than that, and the welfare people get to vote to raise the taxes against those getting less than they do.

  • You may want to check with your board of elections on students who can only vote on candidates-17 year olds who will be 18 by the general election may vote in the primary on candidates only. 18 year olds as most college students are, can vote on issues and candidates if they are a registered voter in that precinct regardless if their address is a dorm room at the school or they live off campus. A lot of landlords own homes in one city and live elsewhere-they dont vote in that city or on that levy. Besides all landlords are not bad people who up their rent every time a levy goes through.

  • Kathleen, Students at a college or university can only vote on local issues IF their school address is considered their permanent address. Most students don't consider their "school" address permanent. As far as only allowing "homeowners" to vote, do you think that landlords don't "add" the cost of property taxes to the rent that is charged? Your letter is full of so much misinformation that it is difficult to take your comments seriously.

  • Kathleen It seems to me that your letter is an veritable musuem of the uninformed, over generalized simplistic lines of argument used by many on this issue. The actual issues of education, funding, culture, societal bonds etc. have little to do with the cheap, talk radio replay rant of another American that doesn't feel a responsibility to their fellows. It seems like a few folks here might be just a little selfish and stingy to me.

  • "Kathleen is absolutely correct. It is always the same 'propaganda', use 'SCARE TACTICS' to get, just about 'ANYTHING' in the name of 'EDUCATION' that they 'WANT' by tagging the item as 'FOR OUR CHILDREN' EDUCATION??? Is it no wonder, that 'LONG TIME' residents of Kent are 'bailing' out of the city for the Townships??" "In my estimation it has become 'almost' like 'ORGANIZED EXTORTION' from the residents!!!!"

  • Is not all the new business in Kent helping with the school funding? If not, then we the property owners are funding these businesses to build, not the general population. Is not the Kent School District one of the highest property's taxed areas in Portage county? NO NEW TAXES