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School board member Ed Skaro urges voters to back referendum to preserve teacher pay, facilities
Summary
Ed Skaro, a school board member, recorded a video urging voters to approve a referendum to restore teacher pay and maintain school facilities. He said past cuts of $1,400,000 and potential staff losses threaten support for at‑risk students and called the cost about $15 per month for a typical family.
Ed Skaro, a member of the school board, recorded a video message urging residents to support an upcoming referendum intended to boost funding for teacher pay and facility upkeep in the Elkhorn Area School District.
In the video, Skaro said the district cut teacher pay two years ago and that the reductions have left the district vulnerable to losing staff. "I can remember 2 years ago, we basically cut their salaries by $1,400,000," he said, and warned that "they can go to a neighboring district and make it quite a bit more money." He framed the referendum as necessary to retain "the good quality teachers" the district needs.
Skaro said funding shortfalls also threaten building maintenance. "Without this referendum passing, we're not gonna be able to maintain all the facilities that we have," he said, adding that officials have already been forced to reduce costs and that he wants to "keep [the facilities] that way." He tied those concerns to student outcomes across grade levels, saying the loss of staff would affect elementary students who need extra help, middle-school students who face difficult adolescence, and high-school students at risk of dropping out.
To illustrate the local cost, Skaro told viewers the measure would amount to "around $15 a month for a typical family," calling that level of contribution "very affordable." He described his personal connection to the district — he graduated from the district in 1978, has been an active community member for more than 30 years and is concluding his sixth year on the board — and said his concerns come from that perspective. He also referenced a decade of experience coaching middle‑school football when describing the challenges faced by that age group.
Skaro closed by asking for support, saying he appreciates the community's consideration and offering to speak with residents one‑on‑one about questions regarding the referendum. The message did not include specifics about the referendum language, tax rate, ballot date or detailed budget allocations.
Next steps: the video encourages voter support and individual outreach but does not state a voting date or provide formal referendum text.
