Oregon Public Broadcasting

Many of Oregon’s smaller schools have been hit especially hard by the recession.

Siuslaw School District serves 1349 students in the coastal town of Florence. It faces a $1.7 million deficit.

Administrators are considering severe cuts, including laying off a quarter of the staff. Some locals are hoping a third attempt at passing a property tax levy will help save the district. KLCC’s Rachael McDonald reports.

Florence voters have twice rejected property tax levies to fund public schools. But this time there’s a new urgency.

The district cut the equivalent of 16 full time staff mid year. With a $1.7 million budget shortfall next year, the superintendent has proposed cutting 26 more positions.

PTA president Diane McCalmont has a sophomore daughter at Siuslaw High.

Diane McCalmont: “Some of the cuts we’ve already faced have brought it to the surface. And some of those people who were just in denial or maybe not seeing the effects are seeing it now. I think it’s definitely more public.”

McCalmont expects the cuts will hit kids hard. She says it’s not just after school activities that are getting axed.

The levy, Measure 20-151, is a five year temporary property tax.  Backers say an average Florence home would have an estimated local option tax of $8 per month. It’s expected to raise a million dollars per year.

Volunteer and parent Rachel Pearson says she hopes voters will see the need.

Rachel Pearson: “What we’re hoping is that this time people will understand we’re not asking for the moon. We’re just asking for enough to keep the school going until the economy turns around.”

Siuslaw students have become their own advocates. A group has been taking to the streets in marches along Highway 101 calling for passage of the levy.

On a Thursday afternoon, outside Siuslaw High, the jazz band is tuning up. Senior Kaitlin Shepard says even though she’s graduating before the proposed cuts would take effect, she’s concerned.

Kaitlin Shepard: “We’ve been involved in the marches because we’re hoping to leave a school for the underclassmen with as many programs in it as we had.”

Shepard says she’s noticed a difference in the school since staff was reduced earlier in the year.

Kaitlin Shepard: “I think it’s kind of disgusting that they cut the janitors. Because now the school is, it’s gross I think. So they cut some janitors and almost immediately after they cut janitors there’s like this outbreak of colds in the school and everyone was coughing and everyone was sick. I kind of see a correlation."

Next year, baseball, softball, wrestling, welding, culinary arts and other electives would be eliminated. Senior Amanda Pilcher says a class she took through Lane Community College would no longer be available to Siuslaw High students.

Amanda Pilcher: “This year I took Western Civilization and it’s a college now class and that’s going to be cut next year. And I think any college class that you can have is really important.”

Band director Steve Conaton is one of the teachers who will lose his job if the proposed cuts go forward. That will leave the choir director to teach band and choir at the high school and middle school.

School Board candidate Jim Fox does not think the property tax levy is a good idea. He says Oregonians already pay enough taxes.

Jim Fox: “We need to quit having so much reliance on property taxes. Property taxes in this state are tremendously high in terms of the value of the property.”

Jim Fox is a retired businessman who moved to Florence in 2004. He has grown children and two school-age grandchildren who live in the Medford area.  Fox says he’s never run for office before, but he believes the school board is moving in the wrong direction.

Jim Fox: “One of the primary responsibilities of the board members is to be prudent custodians of the public funds. And that aspect of board responsibilities has been neglected.”

Fox says the district shouldn’t be asking Florence citizens to pay higher property taxes when the economy is in trouble. He says the levy would not solve the problem, but consolidating the three school buildings into two would save money.

He also believes school administration could be cut back.

Jim Fox: “A lot of people question whether we even need a superintendent in a district this size. Particularly one that gets paid more than Oregon’s governor. There’s a lot of high priced people that aren’t in the classrooms and frankly I’d rather see the money spent there.”

Fox says he thinks school board members could take over some administrative duties.

Fox is running against incumbent Paul Burns for position four. Burns is current chair of the board. He works for the Forest Service and has two children in the district. Burns, has served on the board for four years—making him one of two senior members. He says he has experience with the budget.

Paul Burns: “It usually takes a couple of years before you really get into understand it. Our new board members are doing a great job of picking up on it, but it does take a little bit of time to really pick it up.”

Burns says the district got into this situation because the state is not making education a priority.

Paul Burns: “We feel the state hasn’t lived up to its obligation to fund the schools at the level that it even says it should. It has this quality education model that the state uses to show what schools should be funded at and we’re way below those levels at this time.”

It’s still unknown how much money the district will receive from the state in the next school year. The district is applying for grant money from the federal stimulus bill.

Two other board positions are open. Each, only has one candidate although both were originally contested. One thing is certain, whoever is on the seven-member school board will have their work cut out for them, whether the levy passes or not.

The deadline to turn in ballots is Tuesday, May 19th.