Dear Editor,
Over the past year we have served as the co-chairs of the Marysville Schools Levy Committee. The future strength of a community is intimately weaved in the achievement of our schools, and we believe it is imperative that, as a community, we come together and support Marysville Schools and the future.
This community, and the Marysville Schools, mean a great deal to both of us. Chris, born and raised in Marysville, served as Mayor of Marysville and understands the importance of the schools in the growth and development of our community. Jarrod, a teacher by trade, and his wife, a teacher in Marysville, have four children under the age of six – Marysville Schools will be part of their lives for nearly the next two decades.
We believe the administration and staff of MEVSD are innovative, dedicated and have put the district on solid academic and financial ground. And the only continue to improve.
We support both school levies as they will allow the district to continue on the path of success and growth, provide financial stability, create flexibility to meet the needs of the students, lock in the 10 percent residential rollback and result in a zero percent tax increase for residential voters.
The levy committee has been open and honest about what these levies mean to voters. There are no mysterious motives, half-truths or fuzzy math. A vote for both levies means a vote for our community.
Please join us in supporting Marysville Schools on Nov. 6. Two issues, zero percent tax increase.
Chris Schmenk and Jarrod Weiss
Co-Chairs, MEVSD Levy Committee
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Dear Editor,
It has been an honor and privilege to serve my community and schools as a member of the Marysville Schools Finance Committee. Through my work with our schools, it is clear that the district is always seeking input to ensure that we are meeting the needs of students at a reasonable cost for taxpayers.
This November, we have the opportunity to maintain our excellent Marysville Schools without raising taxes. I urge you to vote “yes.”
The community driven finance committee is made up of a cross section of community members with various backgrounds and serves as a great avenue for communication and collaboration. We meet twice a year to review the district’s financial forecast and provide input to the school district treasurer/CFO Todd Johnson. We are not a “rubber stamp” group. We ask tough questions and offer feedback to ensure our schools are operating as efficiently as possible.
This past spring we discussed, at length, the importance of maintaining financial stability in our schools through the renewal of a 6.56-mill operating levy and passage of a no-new millage permanent improvement levy. Both are a zero increase in taxes. As a committee, we agreed it was important that the operating levy be continuing so that our schools can stretch the time between levies and break the constant levy cycle that many schools face.
Making it a continuing levy will ensure our residential taxpayers continue to receive a 10-percent rollback reimbursement from the state, as well as maintaining a lower tax rate as compared to commercial taxpayers.
A continuing levy will also protect our schools from being on a financial cliff too often. If the renewal levy were to expire, it would be a loss of $3.2 million in the school’s existing operating budget. That would mean drastic cuts to programs, staff, and opportunities for our kids. The quality of our schools will be at serious risk. We must support our schools on Nov. 6 – all without raising taxes.
The upcoming zero tax increase ballot issues are about maintaining excellence in our schools and remaining on a path of financial stability. Marysville Schools needs our support so that we can continue to provide the best education possible at a reasonable cost for taxpayers. Our schools are worth the investment.
Tiffany Wood,
Marysville Schools Finance Committee member
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Dear Editor,
I’m writing to make sure our community knows about our outreach efforts and ongoing opportunities to provide input. Over the past several months, members of the Marysville Board of Education, administrative staff and our levy co-chairs have been busy meeting with more than 30 different groups and organizations to discuss the upcoming zero percent tax increase levies on the Nov. 6 ballot. These meetings have provided us an opportunity to listen to, and learn from, a wide variety of people.
The board also hosts monthly community coffees the Saturday before board meetings, from 9-10 a.m. at the Fifth Street Café, 117 E. Fifth St. We truly value feedback from our community and take very seriously our responsibility to oversee the district’s finances in order to both give our taxpayers the best value for their support, and prepare our students for a successful future.
I couldn’t be more proud of both the work being done in the district, and the amazing partnerships we have with so many different community members, businesses and organizations. Please join me on Nov. 6 in supporting the two zero percent tax increase levies for Marysville Schools.
“Promises kept – moving forward.”
Sue Devine
President of the Marysville Board of Education