Area school district in Wood, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties will be on the ballot Tuesday with revenue requests.

In Wood County, the Eastwood Local School District is seeking renewal of a 1 percent, 5-year income tax issue.

The district recently announced plans to reduce the budget by $650,000 for the 2011-12 school year. The austerity plan includes laying off employees and reducing hours.

School officials are projecting a decline of almost 14 percent in state funding and reimbursements over the next two fiscal years.

In their promotional materials, officials are noting the income tax isn’t levied on pensions, Social Security benefits, or other retirement income.

Superintendent Brent Welker said the administration and school board don’t intend to seek additional operating revenue until at least 2015.

In Ottawa County, voters in the Benton-Carroll-Salem Local School District will decide a request for an additional 3.9-mills for operating expenses. The issue would be in effect 5 years if approved.

If passed, the levy would generate about $1.3 million annually. The requested dollar amount would have been higher, board members contend, if a school building wasn’t being closed.

The administration and school board have decided to close Rocky Ridge Elementary School at the end of the current school year - part of a re-alignment in the district that the school board and administration say will cut costs as a budget deficit looms in fiscal year 2013.

Fifth grade students at Rocky Ridge will be moved next school year to the middle school and lower grades will attend R.C. Waters Elementary.

Without additional revenue in 2011, the district will also close Graytown and Carroll elementary schools and realign the district further by moving fourth graders to the middle school and eighth graders to the high school for the 2012-13 school year. The seventh grade would be moved to the high school in the 2013-14 school year.

Voters in the Woodmore Local School District will also see a request for additional millage on the ballot.

The district is asking voters to approve a 3.95-mill, 5-year levy to help fund operational expenses.

If passed, it would generate $600,000 annually.

The Woodmore school board recently approved a list of cuts, which includes eliminating busing for student field trips, eliminating up to four teaching positions at the high school, and aligning the elementary school so that there are a maximum of three classrooms per grade level – if the levy fails.

District officials anticipate a deficit in the general fund by July 1,  2012.

The board previously decided to eliminate five positions, including two high school teachers, two elementary school teachers, all of whom are retiring and won’t be replaced, and a retiring bus driver, who also won’t be replaced. Instead the district’s bus routes will be consolidated.

Those cuts, which will save the district about $235,000, will remain in place even if the levy passes.

The board and administration will host a final forum May 2 at 7 p.m. at the high school cafeteria to discuss the levy and the district’s financial situation.

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