As the November ballot approaches, more Millard residents are taking a stance on the nine-cent tax levy override Millard Public Schools hopes voters will approve.
In less than a week, people will begin receiving ballots in the mail asking voters if they are in favor of a tax levy override of about $135 a year.
“Sometimes to maintain that level of quality, sometimes these increases, although not pleasant, are necessary,” said Dan McCann, a Millard homeowner who has three daughters in Millard schools.
McCann says his family has faith that the administration is proposing the levy to keep Millard education up to standards.
“Whatever cuts they’ve made, it hasn’t impacted the quality in what we’re seeing – at least not in our family,” said McCann. “I guess the reason we’re more inclined to vote yes is that we don’t want to start seeing the impact and feel the cuts. Then it’ll be too late and then these programs are gone and may never come back.”
Other homeowners will not be putting up ‘VOTE YES’ signs on their lawns – like John Stone, a retired Millard resident who’s lived in the district for nearly seven years.
“They [the school board] always say it’s so little to pay for the children, but I say, well, it’s so little every time you want another issue, every time you want to expand, every time you want to buy something. Give that money to the teachers,” said Stone.
Stone says his problem with the levy is that he doesn’t want to pay more to maintain the school campuses.
“They got college campuses for high school kids. And as an old guy, my kids are grown, my grandkids are in college – it’s like oh my goodness! They have more parking lots than UNO has,” added Stone.
Ballots in the mail-in referendum on the tax levy override are due Nov. 14. If voters approve the override, Millard will become the second district in the Omaha metro area to approve an override.
