LOUDONVILLE — A new, reduced-cost plan to build a new facility for Loudonville-Perrysville Exempted Village Schools didn’t earn enough support from the district’s taxpayers to pass Tuesday night.
The district’s request for $41 million from taxpayers to construct a new building failed, with 42 percent of voters across the tri-county district voting against the measure, according to final, unofficial vote totals from election boards in Richland, Ashland and Knox Counties.
In Ashland County, 57.14 percent of the 2,053 voters who cast ballots against it, according to final, unofficial election results from the Ashland County Board of Elections.
In Knox County, there were 28 votes in support of the measure and 61 against it, according to final, unofficial vote totals from the Knox County Board of Elections.
In Richland County, 19 voters cast ballots in favor of the levy while 55 voted against it, according to final, unofficial vote totals from the Richland County Board of Elections.
Votes for the tax issue in Richland County weren’t finished being counted by 9:40 p.m.
Supt. Jennifer Allerding shared a press release with Ashland Source in response to the results.
(Below is a copy of the release.)
“We respect the voice of our community,” she said in the emailed release. “Our focus remains on providing the best educational environment possible and we will continue to collaborate with our staff, families, and community to find a path forward.”
The new building would have cost $69.2 million total after the district reduced the cost by contributing more to the project and getting rid of some features from its original plan, which voters said no to in November. That ask would’ve cost $53.5 million for taxpayers.
Allerding has said the district’s facilities issues persist, regardless of the bond issue’s passage or failure at the polls.
The district has a permanent improvement levy that generates $297,000 annually, and is meant to cover the cost of repairs to the facility. Since Allerding took over in August 2023, she said the district has spent $535,000 per year on facilities.
That additional money comes out of the district’s general fund. It’s been outspending the PI levy for years, Allerding said.
A levy committee has advocated for the tax issue’s passage, both in November and ahead of this May’s election.
The committee’s leaders have said they advocated for the issue because they don’t think it’s fiscally responsible for the district to continue repairing the buildings as issues arise. But, some Loudonville residents raised concerns about the cost of the new building in the fall.