One of the issues voters in Bowling Green will be voting on today is the city school levy. Rhonda Melchi, treasurer of Bowling Green City Schools, said if the levy passes it will raise the income tax fee for the city schools from one half percent to one percent. ‘The money will go towards the operation of the school systems,’ she said. ‘We are projecting a deficit in the next few years.’ The last time Bowling Green had a school levy passed was in 2005. Hugh Caumartin, superintendent of Bowling Green City Schools, said it’s customary for school districts to have a levy on a ballot every few years. ‘In Bowling Green we haven’t received any extra state money since 1998, and we have to deal with inflation,’ he said. ‘The only place we can find that money is locally.’ Caumartin said he hopes the levy, if passed, will help maintain the school district’s financial stability. ‘That’s no small thing,’ he said. Bowling Green City Schools is one of four school districts in Wood and Lucas counties that achieved perfect ratings in 30 out of 30 possible categories, Caumartin said. The other school districts in the area include Sylvania, Ottawa Hills and Perrysburg. ‘ ‘One thing we all have in common is financial stability,’ he said. ‘We can continue to have these standards, which is where most of the districts around Bowling Green are, or higher.’ Lauren Rex, a freshman at the University and 2008 graduate of Bowling Green High School, said she will vote for the levy tomorrow. ‘Once I learned what the money would be for, I thought it would be a good idea,’ she said. ‘However, I wish they would update the high school.’ The levy, if passed, would not help to create more programs at Bowling Green City Schools but’ would help keep the programs that are already in place. ‘We need to continue providing the current educational programming we have in place,’ Melchi said. Today, Bowling Green will be one of 162 Ohio school districts with a levy on a ballot. ‘I know this isn’t the best time to run a levy request, but we need it now,’ Caumartin said.

THE SCHOOL LEVY

–Levy would increase income tax fee for city schools from one-half percent to 1 percent –Last school levy passed was in 2005 –Bowling Green City Schools was one of four school districts in Wood and Lucas counties to earn a perfect score out of 30 categories. –162 Ohio school districts have a levy on the ballot today.