Everyone's house prices have dropped. But there's still as many houses. Less funding, just as many kids... See where I'm going? I don't blindly pass (or reject) levies - I look at why they are saying justifyies it, listen to both sides and make my decision based upon that. Of course the school district will say; "If you don't pass the levy then we will have to cut transportation (e.g)" Because if they HAVE to cut transportation and the DO cut transportation then people whill scream that they weren't warned about the effect of not passing the levy. In our school district we actually lost a ton of state funding because the state decided we are an "affluent" district. The state knows that they will request, and get, a levy. So is that the fault of the school district? The state? If the sttae has to raise taxes (or cut other programs) to be able to keep funding our "affluent" district then the effect is much the same as a local levy. Either I pay for the school through money going up to the state and back down to the school district - or I pay a local levy. I'm goinna pay the money either way. As far as running the school leaner... Anyone who's been in business knows that wehn you star laying people off "Trimming the fat" then it's not long before you start cutting into muscle, and bone. The people in charge of the money prefer to see layoffs because it makes the bottom line look better. But those people need to have a better idea of what impact that had to the school itself. Do you think everyone with a NO sign in their yard has looked at the books for the school and figured out that there is still fat to trim? Do you think everyone with a YES sign has confirmed that there is no fat left to trim? If oyu said yes then you are deliding yourself. Most people (based upon the people I have talked to) vote largely based upon if they have kids or not. Do parents ever vote down levies? Keep an open mind, every levy is different - investigate and determine for yourself - don't just count levy signs on your way to the polling place. There's plenty of people who would rather see parents pay $600 activity fees and $904 transportation fees annually than themselves pay $168. And there's just as many parents who would vote up a levy to pay for Rolls Royce company cars for the teachers.