There’s no denying the students and staff of Akron’s North High need and deserve a new school.
There are only so many Band-Aids the district can put on the deteriorating, 94-year-old building to keep it up and running.
But North isn’t the only cluster in Akron Public Schools that requires more financial support.
It’s been a dozen years since the district asked voters to approve a tax increase.
As APS Chief Diversity Officer Carla Chapman told us, “The last time we asked, our current seniors were walking into kindergarten.”
During those 12 years, the cost of just about everything – including salaries – has continued to rise. But even as property values have increased, the amount of local tax money flowing into the district has remained the same due to state law.
This November, Akron Public Schools is asking voters to approve a two-pronged approach to build a new North High School and to provide more operational dollars for the district.
Issue 27 includes a 1.29-mill, $85 million bond issue to build the new school and a 7.6-mill operating levy to provide $26.4 million in annual funding for the district.