Letter: Bexley schools deserve operating levy’s passage

The following letter was published today in The Columbus Dispatch.

Bexley schools deserve operating levy’s passage

As a parent, I urge the entire Bexley community to vote yes on Issue 6 this November.

This issue will appear on the ballot as an operating levy for Bexley schools, but it is actually an investment in the heart of our community. Many families are initially drawn to Bexley because of the schools, and school activities continue to connect our entire community.

Bexley schools have gone nine years without new operating funds, even though the 2010 operating levy was supposed to last only three years.

During this stretch, our enrollment has climbed 19% and Franklin County voters in other communities have approved 19 operating levies.

The district’s operating budget overwhelmingly pays for salaries — funding the teachers, counselors and other school employees who nurture Bexley kids. A yes vote also preserves key benefits of a Bexley education, including student-teacher ratios and many opportunities in the arts, sports, clubs, AP classes and foreign languages.

Voters can find out more about Issue 6 at BexleyExcellence.com.

Ted Cahill, chairman, Committee for Bexley Excellence, Bexley