Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Voters to see school issues
Pickerington, Hamilton districts will ask for more money in May
Friday, February 04, 2005
Mary C . Bridgman and Charlie Roduta
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



Despite repeated defeats at the polls, two suburban school districts plan to return to voters on May 3 to ask for tax increases.

For the fast-growing Pickerington district, the bond issue will be the third attempt since November 2002 to pay for new buildings.

For Hamilton schools, the 5.9-mill, three-year emergency levy is the fourth attempt in about two years for additional operating money.

Pickerington


The Pickerington Board of Education last night weighed three options for bond issues. They ranged from $36 million to $55 million.

Board members agreed that something definitely will be on the May ballot, but they want to hear from the public.

A meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Central High School will give residents a chance to offer opinions.

The board will choose a bond issue for the ballot at a Feb. 14. meeting.

Here are the three options being considered:


?• A $55 million bond issue would allow the district to build two elementary schools, one at a Sycamore Creek site, and a middle school; add multipurpose rooms to Pickerington and Violet elementary schools; and add preschool classes.


?• A $38.5 million bond issue would allow everything included in the larger bond issue except for the middle school. It also would add land purchases.


?• A $36 million bond issue would allow everything in the $38.5 million bond issue except the multipurpose rooms.

Millage for the issues wasn?’t determined last night, so it was unclear how much the average resident would pay.

Property taxes on a $100,000 home in the Pickerington district are $1,145.

The recommendations were the result of a joint effort of district parents, community members and administrators. The group considered five options and recommended the $55 million plan.

The district?’s elementary schools have been feeling a space crunch and are finding room for staff members and students in portable classrooms, libraries, multipurpose rooms and offices.

Pickerington Elementary, for example, has a 600-student capacity but houses more than 800 students with five portable units.

As a short-term fix, board members approved a redistricting plan in November that shifts more than 200 elementary and middle-school students in the fall.


mbridgman@dispatch.com



croduta@dispatch.com

Pre-schools my behind

Here we have a Disappointed Voter rail about the Pickerington City Council and about high taxes and then the very facilities committee she is referring to in her tirade comes up with the plan below. If the school system is hurting so bad then why do we need to be funding PRE-SCHOOLS? Shouldn't this be the responsibility of the parents?


?• A $55 million bond issue would allow the district to build two elementary schools, one at a Sycamore Creek site, and a middle school; add multipurpose rooms to Pickerington and Violet elementary schools; and add preschool classes.



By Unbelievable

What about Diley?

From what I heard during the great Diley debate of 2004 they said that thanks to the former council and manager we are getting 2,000 more houses down Diley. What is there - 2 kids that come from each house on average? So we have 4,000 more kids coming into the schools just from that area. Well if you are our shopping for land I have a good idea where Pickerington South should go. Oh wait I forgot about the annexations. How many more houses and kids will that bring? Oh wait I forgot about the Roshon development. Oh wait I forgot about the......

Is the school board thinking about only alleviating the conditions that exist today or are they also looking at tomorrow?

By Wondering

Glad someone saw that too

What's this? Another expansion of staff and facilities to provide a service the private sector does quite well? PLSD can't handle the growth of K -12 students and they want to move into preschool? Interesting as well the first hint of this desire is inside a bond request. No mention of this in any public board discussions I recall.

Let's squash that thought before it even gets out of the crib.

By Protecting the taxpayer