Read more: Local, Morgan r 1, Tax Levy, Tax Hike, Stover, Stover Residents, $1.1 Million from It's Budget or Raise the Tax Levy, Budget Cuts, Tax Levy Hasn't been Raised since 1992, Marriott's Cafe Monday Evening to Listen to Superintendent John French, Cory Garr Told Us, 15 Teaching Positions are on the Line Along with Sports like Baseball, Softball, And Cheerleading
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Like many districts, Morgan County R-1 Schools in Stover are preparing for a budget crunch.
The district needs to cut $1.1 million from it's budget or raise the tax levy.
About 75 Stover residents showed up at Marriott's Cafe Monday evening to listen to Superintendent John French sell them on a tax hike.
French said the district's tax levy hasn't been raised since 1992.
District officials are proposing it be raised from $2.75 to $4.00 per 100 dollars of assessed value.
Voters will get to decide that $1.25 hike on April 3rd.
French told us he's hoping residents choose to keep the school district open and solvent, "The district deficit spent last year by about $1.4 million. This year we're projecting about $1.1 million, and in order to keep the district operating and solvent we need to look at increasing the tax levy and making cuts. The $1.25 increase will put us more competitive with other school districts."
Even if the voters approve the districts levy increase french says they'll still have to make cuts.
We talked to one student who told people at tonight's meeting, if the town loses its school, he thinks the town will lose it's identity, "I think the school needs to do all it can to stay competitive with other schools and if we can cut where we can we should", Cory Garr told us.
Garr said he's mainly against cutting programs that most colleges require but the state doesn't.
He thinks future students would be put at a disadvantage when applying for college.
If voters don't approve the levy increase, about 15 teaching positions are on the line along with sports like baseball, softball, and cheerleading.
If approved, the $1.25 levy increase is expected to bring in about $960,000.
The district must let teachers know by April 13th if they'll have jobs for the next school year.
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