Princeton superintendent briefs Woodlawn council on May levy; estimates $12.8 million over 10 years

Melvin Carter Proudhon, superintendent of Princeton City Schools, told the Village of Woodlawn council about district academic gains, extracurricular achievements and the details of a May 6 levy during the council's March meeting.

Proudhon highlighted that the district and Woodlawn Elementary are performing well academically and described a range of student programs from AP and International Baccalaureate to athletics and arts. He said the district has increased positive student referrals and highlighted recent competitive successes by student teams.

On the levy, Proudhon said officials are limited to factual descriptions and cannot campaign directly. He told the council the levy is an "emergency levy" that "will generate $12,800,000 for 10 years," and estimated the cost at about "$231 for a $100,000 home" ("less than $20 a month"). He said most levy revenue would support staffing and ongoing operations.

Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about how levy proceeds would be used; Proudhon said a large share goes to staffing costs and general operations, stating that "75 to 80% of any school district is staffing." He distributed a district report and said the district is increasing direct communication with residents, including mailings.

The superintendent's presentation was informational; there was no council vote on the levy during the meeting. A councilmember later urged residents to consider property-value implications when evaluating levies, calling such effects a statistical consequence of failed school funding measures.