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Residents urge approval of proposed district income tax levy during board public comment
Summary
Two speakers at public comment urged voters to support the district’s proposed income tax levy, arguing that a levy failure would harm student services and the broader community and that state funding structures have shifted tax burdens to local property owners and districts.
During public comment at the Aug. 11 Westville City Schools Board of Education meeting two residents asked the community to support the district’s proposed income tax levy. Peg Duffy told the board voters who oppose the levy risk harming the community and students if the measure fails. "Failure of the levy harms the district," Duffy said, adding opponents may be satisfied by paying no new taxes but that service reductions would affect students. Duffy criticized state lawmakers for not updating property-tax mechanisms or school-funding formulas, and said the district chose the income-tax route in response to the current state funding climate. Patty Dowd, a Westville graduate and lifelong resident, said the levy affects the stability and programs that allowed her to thrive as a student and warned funding losses have tangible effects in classrooms. Dowd described personal memories of programming — including Chinese New Year celebrations and extracurricular activities — that she said were made possible by stable local funding. The board did not take any vote on a levy that evening; the comments were made during the public participation portion of the meeting.
