After a loss in May, the Middletown Board of Education has decided to return to the ballot in August to help assure adequate funding to deliver a level of education Middletown students have always expected and been provided.  The May issue asked voters to approve a $4 million renewal and an additional $3 million in new money for a total of $7 million.  In spite of continuing and ongoing cuts made by the district, the district still needs $7 million just to keep pace with the rising cost of doing business.  Since the failure of the May tax issue, the school district has been forced to make dramatic cuts to avoid a 7 million dollar shortfall.

We still need $7 million.  However, the August issue is lower than the May issue --it still asks Middletown voters to approve the $4 million renewal, but now asks for an increase of only $1.5 million.

This is important:  The Board isnt asking for less because the need is any less they are asking for less because the Governors proposed state budget (which has not yet been passed, and wont be until June) provides more funding for Middletown Schools than was expected. 

Heres what happened:

1.) Our new Governor, the Honorable Ted Strickland, assumed office at the same time that he was required to submit a new two year budget to the Ohio Legislature (Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate).  This is the budget that determines funding for all state operations and responsibilities, including the states share of funding for public education in Ohio.  Since the Governor was new to office, he was granted an extension and did not submit the budget for consideration and debate by the Ohio Legislature until March 15, 2007.

2.) Schools are required by law to establish the amount to be placed on a ballot 75 days before the election which means for a May election, we had to decide in mid-February.  This was a full month before anyone knew what the Governors proposed budget would include.  Our school district had no way of knowing if the new proposed state budget would mean more money for us locally, so the Board placed an amount on the May ballot that would prevent a $7 million dollar shortfall.

3.) Since March 15^th, the Ohio House of Representatives has debated the Governors proposed budget and recommended approval of their version in April.  The Senate has not yet approved the budget. 

4.) Our treasurer, Mr. Eric Sotzing, recently received projections that indic