The Concerned Parents of Lake Orion Schools are working to get the word out on the Headlee override proposal that will be on this year’s Lake Orion Schools election ballot, and to get voters to the polls on May 2.
The group, which currently consists of about 40 parents of students from all of the schools, has been meeting to discuss ways of informing the public on the importance of allowing the district to levy the 18 mills that were approved in 2005, in the form of a Headlee override.
If the measure doesn’t pass, the schools can levy only 17.5 mills, and stand to lose $400,000 from their already strained budget.
Last year’s voter turnout for the school election was about 15 percent.
‘The 18 mills are levied only on non-homestead properties,? said Concerned Parents member Tiffany Phillips, who has children at Stadium Drive Elementary.
Amy Burtraw, who has children attending Stadium, also joined the group, along with George Edwards, who has children attending Carpenter Elementary, Oakview Middle School and Lake Orion High School.
‘We don’t need to lose any more money,? Edwards said. ‘The biggest thing we’re up against is voter apathy. The two school board positions are unopposed, and most people will see ‘increase? in the millage language and stop reading.?
Edwards said the group is working to ‘saturate? people with the correct information about the ballot proposal, and get them out to vote.
‘We want people to know it’s not an increase,? said Burtraw. ‘We just want to restore and maintain it to what it’s been.?
‘Administrators have been informing the schools of what’s going on, but they aren’t able to give their opinion (on how people should vote),? explained Phillips. ‘So the parents started meeting to get the information out.?
The group has started a letter campaign, and plans to soon put up ‘Vote Yes? signs near daycare center and churches.
‘We are also putting notices in the community church bulletins and speaking at the PTA and PTO meetings,? Phillips said. ‘This can’t be from the schools, it has to be from the parents.?
Concerned Parents have also started an email list to get information out to other parents in the district.
‘We are talking about possibly having a phone bank to remind people to vote,? Phillips said. ‘The school board hasn’t said exactly what would be affected, but there would just be more budget cuts (if the override doesn’t pass).?
Burtraw listed the elimination of the Spanish program at Stadium as an example.
‘My daughter is a first-grader, and I was looking forward to her taking Spanish,? she said. ‘Now the program is gone…The (programs) we’d lose if this doesn’t pass are the equivalent of a Spanish program.?
Edwards said LO Schools offer great programs, including band and drama.
‘If (the ballot proposal) doesn’t pass, pick another program to cut,? he said. ‘This will affect everybody…one of the areas they’ll look at is transportation.?
The public is invited to attend the Concerned Parents of Lake Orion meetings. Another one is planned for after spring break.
‘We’ve had so many people volunteer little things,? Phillips said. ‘That’s the biggest thing, word of mouth. We have control over this, if we can get everyone out to vote.?
Burtraw said the group hasn’t heard from any business owners in opposition to the proposal.
‘I haven’t gotten any negative calls,? she said.
To be added to the Concerned Parents of Lake Orion Schools email list, write to tiffanygc2@sbcglobal.net
For more info on the May 2 ballot proposal,visit www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us
Voters can report to their regular polling locations to cast their ballot on May 2. Polls will be open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. For more information, contact LO Schools at 693-5400.