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Treasurer Jeff Anderson

Newark City Schools treasurer Jeff Anderson presented the school board the five year forecast during their regular board meeting Tuesday night.

He says Governor Strickland has $385 million hole because he planned money from slots at the racetracks to fund schools.

However since it’s on the ballot this November (State Issue 3), Strickland has made a proposal to the state legislature.

“He’s proposed that the legislature suspend the planned 4.5% reduction in state income tax. The legislature has yet to act on that so that is putting school funding in jeopardy.”

Anderson says if the state does not come up with a way to plug the $385 million gap, the Newark City Schools would have to make serious cuts.

“An additional $2 million reduction for this fiscal year and another $4 million in fiscal year 2011.

Anderson says if that happens everything would up for discussion and it would most likely affect Strickland’s mandates for all day everyday kindergarten and a 15 to 1 student/teacher ratio.

“I would assume that the superintendents and school boards would go to him and say, ‘ you’d like to have all these things but you aren’t giving us the money so your mandates are no good as far as we’re concerned.’”


In other news, McGuffey elementary was recognized for receiving an Outstanding School Award from the Ohio School Board Association.