At a recent Marysville Area Realtors meeting, Marysville School officials made a presentation on the proposed $8.9 million football stadium project and the permanent school operating levy that will reportedly be put on the November, 2018 ballot. Treasurer Todd Johnson and board member Dick Smith took questions and spoke about details pertaining to both initiatives.
The levy proposal has us concerned. It is a renewal of an operating levy passed five times since 1989. However, it failed 70 percent to 30 percent in 1989 the first time it was presented because the board then put it on the ballot as a permanent levy. That might well happen again. Voters don’t want to give up their right to have a say on school issues. It’s local taxpayer dollars that help run the school system, so residents should always be able to vote on where their money goes.
We don’t necessarily oppose a levy for education, but we don’t think it should be forever.
We feel such an action by the administration and the board makes it seem like they are afraid to give voters the right to make the decision. If it has passed every five years over the last 28 years, what is wrong with coming back to the voters again and letting them have a voice?
We understand that the board may be a little skittish because their most recent expenditures and proposals have not instilled trust with voters. Still being questioned are the $2.4 million parking lot project (original budget was $1.2 million), the early contract extension of the superintendent for $160,000 per year and the planned $8.9M stadium project.
The concern we have is that the board and administration only want voters to believe their narrative, and don’t want to listen to the voice of the people.
This was the case five years ago when the new superintendent came in and cut 20% of the district staff. Back then, the citizens came forward to the board and expressed their displeasure with that decision. The result was that then board president Jeff Mabee was voted out of office. He is the only sitting president that we know of to be defeated.
Our advice to the board is – in planning for the vote next November, remember, people hear what you say and witness what you do, but they most remember the impression you leave with them. You don’t want to make them feel that you are taking away their future right to vote on how their tax dollars are spent.