Alter St. Clairsville Schools Proposal
A proposal for new taxes to improve St. Clairsville-Richland School District facilities was crushed by voters last Tuesday. More than 72 percent of the 6,800 votes cast were against the request.
School district officials sought nearly $80 million through a 37-year property tax levy. Nearly $8.5 million more was requested in a separate ballot issue, to construct a new indoor swimming pool facility for the district. More than three-fourths of the votes on that one were negative.
Why the proposals were turned down is no secret. School officials wanted too much money — way too much — many voters thought.
What now? The district’s physical facilities do need to be improved. How can the board of education make that happen?
If ever there was a situation in which trying the same plan during a future election was futile, this is it. Dramatic changes in the proposal have to be made.
Members of a grassroots group formed to oppose the levies have volunteered to meet with Build STC, the organization that promoted the measure, to discuss a way forward.
Once hard feelings generated by the proposal have had time to pass, school officials should take the opposition group up on its offer. The sooner a plan acceptable to most voters can be devised, the sooner St. Clairsville-Richland students can have better schools.
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