By Chris Piper
For decades, the Troy City Schools have endeavored to maintain the high standards of excellence to which community members have grown accustomed.
Simply put, we could not have done it without the continued support of Troy residents who take great pride in the accomplishments of our kids. You are the reason why we are able to empower students to dream big, work hard and succeed.
In this election, we are asking for the voters of Troy to help us to maintain those high standards by voting YES on a 5.8-mill renewal levy that has been in place since 1996. As a renewal levy, it will not increase taxes if it passes.
This is an operating levy, meaning the funds raised from it will be used to pay for the district’s daily operations and pay for things such as salaries, utilities and transportation costs. This money cannot be used on new buildings or anything not directly related to the district’s operating expenses.
This levy collects $ 3.72 million annually, which is 7.63 percent of the district’s operating budget. While this levy will not increase taxes if it passes, should it fail, Troy City Schools would lose $1.369 million, which would force us to make changes and cuts that would affect the high-quality education you’ve come to expect from us.
Additionally, you will see another renewal levy on the ballot for the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center. The ballot language will say this is a Troy City Schools levy. The Troy City School district is merely the fiscal officer for Hayner and no money collected from this levy will go toward the schools.
The past year has been difficult for everyone during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Like so many of you, we have worked hard to not only keep things as normal as possible for Troy’s children but also to help them in as many ways possible.
We have given each one of our students a Chromebook to use to complete their assignments, putting the future of education in the 21st century at their fingertips. We created a Troy Online Academy, taught entirely by Troy teachers, to allow students with concerns about the pandemic to learn entirely from home. We’ve offered free breakfasts and lunches to all of our students.
We have done these things because we care about our students and want to give them all the tools they need to succeed. We hope you will help us continue to do that for our children and for our future.
Please vote YES for Troy City Schools.
