A sign of what's to come?

Ohioans are finally getting property tax relief. It's a good thing, and it was a necessary measure to assist those on fixed incomes who could least afford the increase in taxes that occurred with higher property revaluations several years ago. Now, though, we see possibly the first consequence, the first domino to fall in reaction to the tax reform push. This past Monday, Vermilion Schools announced it was cutting six teachers and a custodian to offset what it estimates will be $500,000 worth of deficit spending next school year. The district gave the community a bleak picture of its financial situation. A major failed bond issue to address aging buildings and a gradual attrition of staff eventually gave way to a more drastic direct staff cut. The general fund is typically what a government agency uses to pay for its essential costs; salaries and the like. But Vermilion said it had to dip into that fund to cover emergency costs. We know other districts in the area that have asked for levies in recent years, especially those seeking larger building projects, with a number of those levies having failed to gain voter approval. So could what happened in Vermilion happen elsewhere? Could cuts be coming to staff at other local districts? There's been no immediate word on that, but it certainly seems like a possibility that can't be ignored. While the tax burden on local homeowners is a primary consideration, we do not like to see local professionals out of work. We worry too about demographics; Vermilion reported declining enrollment figures, something we've heard in other local districts. It seems Ohio's population is aging, and that younger families, those with school-age children, are finding other states to live in. We've heard similar anecdotes in our region. Data from the Ohio Department of Development projects that Erie County's population age 18 and younger — i.e., school-age children — will decrease by about 2,000 boys and girls between now and the year 2050. That, it appears, is the biggest problem. More people living here means a larger tax base with more tax revenue going to schools and other government agencies. We seem to be headed in the wrong direction in this regard. We worry that if we remain on our current course, tax revenue could continue to dwindle, which could conceivably lead to fewer and lower-quality government services and schooling. Can we find a balance between maintaining school funding and the quality of local schooling and avoiding large staff cuts without overburdening the taxpayer? With changes in state law, how can districts adjust their finances to get the biggest bang for the bucks that are now harder to come by? That's a question those in positions of authority will have to answer soon. If not, we believe other districts could follow in Vermilion's footsteps. Editorial board