Voters reject River Valley permanent improvement levy

MARION – Voters defeated a 1.5-mill, five-year permanent improvement levy for River Valley Local Schools 902-731, according to unofficial final results from the Marion County Board of Elections.

The preliminary results released by the elections board show the levy failing 860-706. In Morrow County, the only other county with River Valley voters, unofficial final results had the River Valley measure failing 42-25.

John Meyer, director for the Marion County Board of Elections, said five provisional votes remain to be counted. They will be counted May 19. The elections board will meet May 20 to certify the results.

The Marion County results include all absentee ballots, Election Day ballots and machine ballots, Meyer said.

School officials say the levy is needed to replace buses, upgrade computer technology, replace and increase the number of security cameras inside and outside its buildings, and resurface its track.

A 7.7-mill, five-year renewal levy for the Marion Township Fire District passed 393-291, as did a 4.3-mill, five-year renewal levy for the village of Prospect, 36-15.

River Valley Superintendent Jim Peterson expressed his thanks to those who voted for the levy and expressed disappointment in the outcome.

"We're certainly not looking at any large amount of additional money from the state of Ohio to support our local school district," Peterson said. "The board and I and our community are going to have to sit and talk about our next steps."

He said the district "made some progress," referring to the results of the levy vote, roughly a 10 percent margin of defeat on Tuesday compared with a 17 percent margin of defeat in the November 2014 election.

"I can't for the life of me — unless I have to make a decision to feed my family or vote 'yes' — I can't understand why anyone would vote 'no' when the levy is for safety, technology and security (of students in the district). I can't understand, but the district for which I'm superintendent has spoken."

He said it's too early to say whether the board will place a levy on the ballot again in November.

"In an ideal situation I will have community members come to me and ask me to take it to the board and bring it to the ballot in November," he said.

"I'm disappointed, but we will be at school bright and early tomorrow morning," he said. "We love our kids, and we will continue to educate our kids to the best of our ability."

He again thanked voters who supported the levy, adding: "I respect the opinion of those who did not support it."

The cost of the River Valley levy would have been $52.50 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home. It would have generated an estimated $437,037.68 per year, according to the Marion County Auditor's Office. The money could not have been used for salaries or benefits. It could have been used only to address equipment, buses, technology, and other safety and maintenance concerns.

The Marion Township fire levy will generate an estimated $1,653,808.78 per year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $221.53 per year. The Prospect levy will generate an estimated $17,447 per year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $21.89 per year.

Voters in only 31 of the 84 precincts in the county had anything to vote on in Tuesday's election.