MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County taxpayers will support a schools excess levy for another five years.
More than 68% of voters agreed to renew a levy that has been in place since before 1994.
“It was reduced from 100% to 75% at that time. It’s renewed at 75 all the way up until this year when we’re asking a renewal rate of 73,” explained Dr. Frank Devono, Monongalia County Superintendent of Schools.
The levy request on the 2016 General Election ballot needed just a simple majority to pass.
More than 68% of voters supported it.
“The important thing in all this is all this money stays in Mon. County. None of it goes to the state. It’s an excess levy. It’s all used for the county. And it’s all used for the county. And it’s all used for the programs we have for our students and everything that is involved in all of that,” explained Devono.
The levy renewal will be effective from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022.
It will provide funds to the school system for student services, maintenance and transportation and staff salaries.
In fact, the levy covers about 25% of the total county school costs.
“Twenty-eight million dollars out of any budget would be substantial. I certainly believed the voters realized that and that they like the educational system as it and want to continue and improve. So, I think that’s why they supported it,” Devono said.
In October of 2011, 69% of Monongalia County voters chose to renew the levy from 2012 to 2017.
If renewed, the Monongalia County Schools Excess Levy would be effective from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022.
Local School boards can’t ask for levy renewals beyond five years at a time.