Voters reject levy for Monroe schools

MONROE, Ohio - Voters rejected the Monroe schools levy Tuesday night.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, 52 percent of voters rejected the levy.

At stake was a $7.05 mill incremental tax levy, which would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home an estimated $250 annually.

A fiscal emergency has loomed over the district since February. In the past, the district has pointed to improper spending procedures by the previous treasurer as the reason for the shortfall.

Earlier in the year, the district projected a $4.5 million deficit. Some of that money was borrowed from a bond that has to be repaid immediately.

"We will go back to state minimum standards in our teaching staff and our educational services that we offer," said Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Lolli in a recent interview with 9 News.

Lolli says the current student-teacher ration is about 29 to 1, but before she made staffing cuts it was closer to 22 to 1. Since the levy failed, it may get higher, according to Lolli.