NEWS

School levy renewal passes in Heath

Anna Bisaro
abisaro@gannett.com

HEATH – Voters in Heath supported a 9.8-mill renewal levy to cover Heath City Schools operating expenses.

American vote buttons  illustration

The vote, which passed with a 70.76 percent majority, ensures that the levy will not have to be renewed for then next 10 years. The final tallies came in to the Licking County Board of Elections just after 9 p.m. Tuesday.

"We're just really really happy," said Trevor Thomas, district superintendent. "We expected a positive result."

The original levy, passed in 2007, was renewed in 2010. On Tuesday, the levy renewal passed 881 votes to 364.

The levy generates $2.6 million for the school district and funds staffing, instructional programs and general expenses, Thomas said.

The levy will continue to cost the owner of a $100,000 home $308 a year.

Losing the levy vote could have been detrimental for the district, Thomas told The Advocate in April. The levy generates about 20 percent of the district's operating budget.

If voters had not passed the levy, the district would have had one more chance in November to pass the renewal before having to consider cuts to school programs.

The district went all out in campaigning for the renewal this year, with the Heath Pride Committee taking to social media and community meetings to educate the public about the levy's importance.

"We have a great school system, and we are doing great things," Thomas said. "We are so lucky we live in a supportive community."

Mark Johns, the mayor of Heath, also expressed excitement over the passage of the levy.

"It's so fantastic to be in a community that supports its schools so well," Johns said. "It's important to the growth of the city of Heath. You can't have a strong city and a weak school system."

abisaro@gannett.com

740-328-8822

Twitter: @abisaro_NEW